Starry night spectacular

By Sonia Isaacs

WHILE many celebrated the festive season, members of the Brisbane Astronomical Society turned their eyes to the heavens, making the most of clear skies at the Maleny Observatory.
Dr Paul Baker and Dean Stewart conducted two all-night vigils to capture breathtaking images of stellar nebulae in the constellation of Orion, also known as the Saucepan.
These massive star-forming clouds, located 1,300 light years away and spanning hundreds of light years across, are made of hydrogen, helium, and remnants of former stars. Gravity continues to shape the clouds into new stars, with hundreds already identified.
Maleny Observatory convenor, Dr Ken Wishaw, praised the images as some of the best he has ever seen. “These photos showcase the incredible talent and persistence of Dr Baker and Mr Stewart, combined with the relatively light pollution-free skies of Maleny,” Dr Wishaw said. He reiterated the importance of preserving the region’s night sky integrity, and ongoing advocacy for a Dark Sky Reserve to combat light pollution. “There’s nowhere else in southeast Queensland where images of this calibre could be captured,” he added. sonia@gcnews.com.au

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