How to photograph the Flaming Star Nebula (IC 405)
Red and blue clouds lit by the runaway star AE Aurigae.
Photo byChuck Ayoub(CC0)
When to shoot it from your location
About the Flaming Star Nebula
The Flaming Star Nebula glows red where hydrogen is lit by AE Aurigae and blue where dust reflects its light. The nearby Tadpole Nebula (IC 410) fits in the same frame at around 300mm.
Gear and framing
The Flaming Star Nebula spans about 30′ of sky. It frames best with:
- Telephoto (85-300mm lens)
- Small refractor (250-600mm)
You can see how other people have built their rigs on RigDesigner, including my Sony a6700 and 60mm refractor rig.
Filters
This target glows in emission lines and also has broadband detail. Unfiltered color frames under dark skies give the most natural colors. A dual-band filter lets you shoot it from the city or with the Moon up.
Tips
- Frame it with the Tadpole Nebula at 250-400mm for a winter two-for-one.
Processing
Stack your light frames with darks and flats, then remove the background gradient before stretching. AstroBake does all of this for you. Point it at your folders of raw frames, then adjust the result with live sliders.