Flaming Star nebula

*Flaming Star nebula from Everett Quebral's AstroBin gallery* *View on AstroBin: [https://app.astrobin.com/i/376089](https://app.astrobin.com/i/376089)*

About IC 405 (Flaming Star Nebula)

IC 405 in Auriga is a mixed emission and reflection nebula illuminated by the runaway O-type star AE Aurigae. H-alpha traces glowing ionized hydrogen while nearby dust reflects starlight, giving the region its characteristic red and blue hues.

What Creates the Appearance

The interplay of emission and reflection dominates here: UV radiation from AE Aur excites hydrogen to emit in Hα, while surrounding dust reflects the star’s blue light. Dark lanes of dust weave through the nebula, creating contrast and depth.

The Science Behind the Beauty

IC 405 lies within a complex region of the interstellar medium, where a high-velocity star lights up a pre-existing cloud. Emission lines (primarily Hα) trace ionized gas, while continuum reflection highlights dust. The mix makes IC 405 an excellent case study in radiative processes.

Capturing the Target

Equipment and Setup

• Telescope/Optics: Explore Scientific 127mm ED APO Triplet with 0.7× reducer; Orion ED80T CF APO Triplet (earlier sessions)
• Imaging Camera: ZWO ASI1600MM-Cooled
• Filters: Astronomik Hα 12 nm, Astronomik O III 12 nm; broadband RGB for reflection component
• Mount: Orion Atlas EQ-G
• Guiding: Autoguiding with ZWO ASI120MM-S

Imaging Strategy

Blend Hα with broadband RGB to capture both emission and reflection. O III is typically weaker but can add subtle structure. Collect many sub-exposures and balance channels to manage SNR. Typical total integration from this dataset: 23h 53′. Image resolution: 130×130.

Processing Techniques

1. Calibration: Apply darks, flats, and biases
2. Registration & Integration: Align and stack frames
3. Channel Combination: Map SII/Ha/OIII into palettes (e.g., Hubble palette)
4. Color Calibration: Balance narrowband colors while preserving structure
5. Stretching: Gradual histogram stretches to reveal faint structure
6. Detail Work: Noise reduction, deconvolution, and local contrast

The Surrounding Region

This target often sits within a rich region of gas, dust, and star-forming activity. Wide fields can capture multiple catalog objects, dark nebulae, and star clusters in the same frame.

Challenges and Rewards

• Faint Structure: Demands long total integration time
• Light Pollution: Narrowband can help under bright skies
• Weather & Seeing: Stable conditions improve small-scale detail

Tips for Success

1. Plan sessions across multiple nights to build SNR
2. Balance narrowband channels and manage star sizes across filters
3. Use masks to protect stars and highlight nebular structure
4. Keep a non-destructive workflow for iterative refinement

Conclusion

IC 405’s mix of glowing gas and reflected starlight makes it a beautiful, nuanced target. Careful color balance preserves the contrast between the red Hα regions and the blue reflection nebula.

Technical Data

• Object: Flaming Star nebula
• Constellation: Auriga
• Integration: 23h 53′
• Resolution: 130×130 px
• Filters used: Hα, O III, RGB

Equipment

Imaging Equipment

• Optics: Explore Scientific 127mm ED APO Triplet + 0.7× Reducer; Orion ED80T CF APO Triplet
• Camera: ZWO ASI1600MM-Cooled
• Mount: Orion Atlas EQ-G
• Filters: Astronomik Hα 12 nm, Astronomik O III 12 nm; RGB
• Accessories: EQ Focuser
• Software: PixInsight 1.8 Ripley

Guiding Equipment

• Guide Camera: ZWO ASI120MM-S
• Mount: Orion Atlas EQ-G
• Accessories: EQ Focuser