Barnard's Loop area in Orion

[Big Dipper]

Last Sunday night/Monday morning was nice & clear with no wind (a sharp contrast with last weeks storms) so I decided to have a bash at Barnard's Loop. Taken with a 50mm lens/350D DSLR & attached to my AstroTrac this is a stack of 20 X 240 sec light frames. Although it's a faint target, it's huge size makes for easy framing in a 50mm lens (I just stick Betelgeuse in the top left of the viewfinder & Rigel at lower left). Also the wide field of view at 50mm means that tracking can be pretty laid back.  

I remember a challenge being set sometime last year in the Sky at night magazine about attempting to observe the Loop from a very dark sky site. Has anyone here actually managed to achieve this? For me i think that the only way that I will ever get to 'see' it is through the 'playback' screen on my DSLR!!

[rjgjr]

A very spectacular image Andy, such vibrant colors and great focus. Your AstroTrac sure gets the job done! I have a prertty dark  site and frequent an even darker one up in the mountains, can't say I have ever seen the Loop, not that my eyes are good enough anymore.

[markt]

Fantastic capture!  

[John9929]

That's a superb image Andy, you have even picked up the Horse Head Nebula as well, I would love one of those AstroTrac's but never could afford one perhaps someday! That whole area around Orion is soaked in nebulosity but I have never seen the Loop myself. Love the way you have held the colors of the stars. Well done!

[hal2000]

Sorry I didn't get round to commenting on this elsewhere Andy. That is a first class image, almost as good as the last one you posted of this area on A/C a couple of years ago. As I remember, that one was a smaller field, with M78 clearly seen. Great stuff mate.

[martinastro]

Andy, that's an amazing image!, Barnard's Loop is incredible and I'm amazed it showed up so well in just 20 stacked stills, impressive stuff and a result to be proud of 

I have never seen BL with the naked eye before but now you have got me into it, I've been looking for a visual challenege lately so this can be something I can spend some time on and I'm really looking forward to it. I must check my book by the late Sky & Tel DSO observer Walter Scott Houston who will know about such things.

I have never seen the Horse head visually yet although I could see the nebula it can be found in, I can see the Gegenschein, Merope Nebula, and have even seen M81 with the naked eye several times and many Pleiades members, those were back in the old days so BL is now on the list - thanks for the new challenege Andy 

[Big Dipper]

Belated thanks for the kind comments folks - much appreciated. 

I would love one of those AstroTrac's but never could afford one perhaps someday!

Cost has always been the main stumbling block for many potential buyers John. I understand that the latest version (model TT320X-AG) has come down in price compared to its predecessors, namely the TT320 (which I have) and the TT320X. As someone who often has very little patience with things 'electronic' when out in the dark, the simple & quick to set up nature of the AT has been a godsend!
Another benefit for me has been that I've learnt how to starhop to a given deep sky object. This has helped increase my knowledge of exactly where given objects are in the sky - something that I greatly missed out on when I used to just dial in RA & DEC co-ordinates using the setting circles on my former 11" SCT.

I have never seen BL with the naked eye before but now you have got me into it, I've been looking for a visual challenege lately so this can be something I can spend some time on and I'm really looking forward to it. I must check my book by the late Sky & Tel DSO observer Walter Scott Houston who will know about such things.

Now there's a name synonymous with deep sky observing! A great loss to the astronomical community when he passed away (IIRC) back in 1993.

I've been thumbing through old editions of the Sky ay Night magazine in an attempt to locate the challenge laid down by Pete Lawrence. Alas it looks like I didn't retain it. Do let us know how you get on Martin - and the 'Best of British' to you!

[DaveH64]

Astounded by captures like this never even heard of it before this post. Nice capture.

[JohnC]

A stunning photo. I never cease to be amazed at the  quality of the astro. photos here.

[martinastro]

Well I can put this one to rest, I checked my book and found out that Scotty did indeed observe Barnard's Loop with the naked eye using a Lumicon OIII filter!. According to his wife, he nearly jumped over the observatory roof when he saw it