A giant spider you will love: Tarantula Nebula by Steve Crouch

NGC 2070 Tarantula Nebula

Sometimes colour astrophotos tend to hide some of the detail of a deep sky object. This photo by Steve Crouch uses a Hydrogen Alpha filter to lift out detail you can't see in the standard red–green–blue light bands.

Steve explains how amazing NGC 2070 really is:

Here’s the first light image for my latest CCD camera a STXL6303 to replace my old STL6303 which has been sold.  Nothing startling – just the Tarantula.  The next upgrade to the Theodore observatory will be Martin Pugh’s old mount which should be up and running in about 2-3 weeks.

This huge emission nebula complex in the Large Magellanic Cloud would more than cover the whole constellation of Orion if placed at the position of the Orion Nebula.  It is visible with the naked eye as a hazy spot.

Catalogue and alternative designations NGC 2070, Tarantula Nebula, 30 Doradus

Type : Emission Nebula
Position: 05 38.7, -69 06
Constellation: Dorado
Camera and Telescope: STXL6303 and 36.8 cm Ritchey Chretien
Focal Ratio: F9
Exposure Details: 195 minutes unbinned exposure with Astrodon 3nm Hydrogen Alpha filter unbinned

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