The Carina nebula
Original plate printed without (left) and with an unsharp mask
Plate taken in red light with the UK Schmidt Telescope
The great nebula in Carina (NGC 3372) is one of the most spectacular
in the southern sky. In
common with many star-forming regions the brightness range in the image
is large, and that, combined with the high contrast of photographic
materials normally used in astronomy, makes printing difficult. A direct print (left) shows no detail in the brightest parts of the nebula, while the effect of the photographic (analogue) unsharp mask on the same original plate is seen at left.
The prints from which this picture was made was
first published in 1977.
We also have a colour version of
this field as well as more detailed AAT images AAT 9, AAT 32, AAT 37 and AAT 45, which shows the Homunculus
nebula.
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David Malin 2006 Jan 27
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