IC 446 & IC 447 — A stellar nursery in Monoceros

2,400 light-years away, two blue reflection nebulae bathe in the diffuse Hα emission of Sh2-266. At the heart of IC 446 (center of the frame), the Herbig Be star HD 259431 lights up its dust-bordered cavity and ejects small orange knots visible around it — Herbig-Haro objects, signatures of stars in active formation. IC 447, larger and more diffuse, spreads its broad cyan glow across the lower portion of the field.

📸 ACQUISITION

⏱️ Integration per filter (total 53h45): ▸ Luminance: 17h00 (204 × 300") ▸ Red: 10h25 (125 × 300") ▸ Green: 8h00 (96 × 300") ▸ Blue: 8h40 (104 × 300") ▸ Hα: 9h40 (116 × 300")

🔭 Equipment: ▸ Telescope: Sky-Watcher Esprit 120ED ▸ Camera: ZWO ASI2600MM Pro ▸ Mount: Sky-Watcher AZ-EQ6 PRO ▸ Filters: Optolong LRGB + Hα 7nm (36 mm) ▸ Accessories: PrimaLuceLab EAGLE5S, ZWO EAF, ZWO EFW 7×36mm, ZWO OAG-L

🛠️ Processing: PixInsight (WBPP → BlurX → SPCC → PCS → NoiseX → StarX → GHS) + Photoshop finishing

Copyright: Alexandre Delarue