Object Information:                  The Cone Nebula ,
                                                Object Type - Dark nebula highlighted by emission nebula,
                                                Constellation - Monoceros,
                                                Distance - 2,500 light years,
                                                Size - Approximately 7 light years long.  The tip is estimated to be 2.5 light years across.

Description:    The Cone Nebula is a dark nebula located in the constellation of Monoceros, the Unicorn.  The Cone Nebula is visible because it lies in front of the faint emission nebula NGC 2264 that makes up the background of this image.  It is believed that the tip of the Cone Nebula is an area of active star formation and that the tip is slowly being eroded by the radiation pressure from the bright stars nearby.

Imaged at:                                 Anza-Borrego Desert, San Diego County, California;
                                                 Elevation - 1500 feet

Equipment:                                Optics - Takahashi MT-160 Newtonian @ f/6.3
                                                 Mount - Losmandy G-11,
                                                 Camera - SBIG ST-7E NABG,                                                
                                                 Filter - SBIG CFW-8,

Exposure Information:               December 7, 2002
                                                 An RBG combination consisting of 7 min. Red, 7 min. Green,  and 11.2 min. Blue exposures,

Film:                                         N/A

Image Processing Software:      Registration and combination of images - AIP for Windows, MIRA, CCD Soft, and Photoshop 7

Image Processing Steps:            1)  All images were calibrated with dark frames, bias frames and flat field frames using AIP for Windows;  2)  The calibrated images were then registered and combined using MIRA; 3) The red, green and blue components were then combined in to a color image using CCD Soft; and 4) Final processing and conversion JPEG format was performed using Photoshop 7.