McNeil Nebula and V1647 Ori: 2016-2017 observing season started (01 Oct. 2016)
The McNeil Nebula and the associated V1647 Ori variable star have been a target of opportunity for the author since it was discovered back in 2004. Every year, at Virtual Telescope we spend some observing time to track it, to monitor its behaviour. So, we started the 2016-2017 observing season.
The McNeil nebula and the associated V1647 Ori variable star are shining in good shape, as seen in this image grabbed on 01 Oct. 2016
The new observing season for the McNeil nebula and the associated variable V1647 Ori started, at last. Bad weather at the Virtual Telescope site made impossible for us to start it earlier (late in Aug. would be the earliest period, as the objects start to show back after their conjunction with the Sun), unfortunately, but with this new observations our monitoring has begun.
Our goal is to investigate the outbursts of this source and our coverage now includes several years. In the near future, we will publish an extensive post with all the data.
The image above comes from the average of three, 300-seconds exposures, remotely taken with the “Elena” (PlaneWave 17″+Paramount ME+SBIG STL-6303E) robotic unit. The object is a bit right from the center of the image, while on the upper left there is the bright, famous Messier 78. The star was estimated at mag 17.3, unfiltered (01 Oct. 2016): on Apr. 2016 (last 2015-2016 season observation) we measured mag. 17.0.
We will keep on eye in these targets in the next months, so stay tuned!
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