A deeper look into NGC 2244, the Rosette Nebula
Rosette is one of those areas of the sky that EVERYONE seems to forget. Mainly because it’s situated just underneath the night sky’s rock star first child- Orion. So Monoceros sits quietly below undetected most of the time, but it shouldn’t. Monoceros not only sports some of the most beautiful light and dark nebula around, it also is home to a pair of binary stars that will absolutely mesmerize the casual observer.
Both Epsilon Monoceros & Beta Monoceros are the stars I’m referring and I hope to catch a single shot of both these star pairs tonight. They are located in the legs and tail of the “Unicorn” of Monoceros- see my sketch for a better understanding of it’s location.
Now that the image is completed and it’s set next to my sketch, maybe you can see why I chose a Pink Unicorn to illustrate the constellation of Monoceros. The colors of Rosette lend themself to the creation of the Unicorn for me. When I look at that area, I see the pattern of stars easily, but can’t help but think of the bright nebula and stars hidden in the dark.
Roses are Red…
Stars are Blue and Gold…
Look underneath Orion…
And the beauty of the night will unfold…
In all seriousness, the beauty I see inspires me to all sorts of dumb ideas. Even poetry from time to time. Here’s to you being inspired by the night sky!
-Matt