Nebulae Flame Nebula (NGC2024) Previous Next Enlarge to Full Size Date: 12/18/2006 Description from APOD What lights up the Flame Nebula? Fifteen hundred light years away towards the constellation of Orion lies a nebula which, from its glow and dark dust lanes, appears like a billowing fire. But fire, the rapid acquisition of oxygen, is not what makes this Flame glow. Rather the bright star Alnitak, the easternmost star in the Belt of Orion visible to the nebula's right, shines energetic light into the Flame that knocks electrons away from the great clouds of hydrogen gas that reside there. Much of the glow results when the electrons and ionized hydrogen recombine. Imaging Information: Toronto, Canada VC200LDG @ 1280mm f6.4 Takahashi EM200 Temma PC Jr. HaRGB - 180:45:45:45 SBIG ST2000XM Captured and process with MaxIm DL, PixInsight LE and Photoshop CSII

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