Al-Khatim Astronomical Observatory Captures Unique Image of a Celestial Spot Resembling a Christmas Tree from the Abu Dhabi Desert
After 35 hours of continuous imaging operations spanning more than a month, the Al-Khatim Astronomical Observatory, located in the Abu Dhabi desert, succeeded in capturing a stunning image of a patch of sky including a diverse group of celestial bodies. Notable among them is the Christmas Tree Cluster, a stellar gathering that appears in a form resembling a tree, known in Western communities as the “Christmas Tree Cluster” due to its striking resemblance. Located at the top of this cluster is the Cone Nebula, a collection of gas and dust taking the shape of a cone.
The director of the Al-Khatim Astronomical Observatory, Mohammad Odeh, stated that the Christmas Tree Cluster and the Cone Nebula are together designated by the astronomical symbol NGC 2264. He also pointed out two other nearby objects: the Snowflake Cluster and the Fox Fur Nebula. Odeh explained that all these objects are located in the Monoceros constellation, at an estimated distance of about 2,300 light-years. This means that the light appearing in the image left these objects in 275 BCE and has only just reached Earth.
Odeh explained that the red and pink colors in the image result from the ionization of hydrogen gas, while the blue color is due to the ionization of oxygen gas. The image also shows other astronomical features, such as dark nebulae, which are massive clusters of gas and dust that block the light behind them, causing black spots.
Odeh revealed the use of a 108mm diameter telescope with a color camera and a light pollution filter at a site with a light pollution level of Bortle 6.5. The total imaging time reached 35 hours, consisting of 421 images, each with a 5-minute exposure.
Odeh noted that the work team included, alongside himself, Haytham Hamdi, who took on the task of image processing, as well as Osama Ghannam, Anas Mohammad, and Khalfan Al-Nuaimi.
Please note that the images include a link to the main high-resolution image with star brightness reduced to show the nebulae more clearly, a link to a close-up image of the Christmas Tree Cluster, the Cone Nebula, and the Fox Fur Nebula, a link to an image showing only the Christmas Tree Cluster, and four links to close-up images of various parts of the astronomical features. It is recommended to view the features and details more clearly by reviewing the images in a dark place.
United News Network – UNN Arabic
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