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NGC2264 “Christmas Tree” cluster and “Cone Nebula”
 NGC2264 in the constellation Monoceros is both star cluster and nebula. Visual observers nicknamed the cluster “Christmas Tree”, because the brightest stars create a wedge-like shape, resembling lights on a Christmas tree. Astro-photographers often use another nickname — the “Cone Nebula”, because of a distinctive cone of dark nebula, extending from the tree top. It is visible on long-exposure images as a silhouette on the deep-red glowing hydrogen clouds on the background.

Less known part of the nebula to the left from the blue patch in the image center is nicknamed “Fox Fur Nebula”, again because of visual resemblance of the gaseous clouds with fox head.

The NGC2264 star cluster/nebula presented above was acquired by Martin Myslivec with his G3-16200 camera on 30 cm corrected Newtonian telescope. Image was combined from red, green and blue exposures, taken to capture proper colors, and the narrow-band images acquired through Hα filter, which greatly enhances the nebula structure. Total exposure time is 30 hours.

 
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