IC 434 is a bright emission nebula located in the equatorial constellation of Orion. It forms part of the iconic Horsehead Nebula, along with Barnard 33, the dark nebula that resembles a horse’s head. Positioned near the Orion Nebula, IC 434 was first observed on February 1, 1786, by William Herschel. This striking nebula is approximately 1,260 light-years (385 parsecs) away from the Sun.

This is one of my first images taken with my new ZWO 2600 colour camera paired with the Redcat 51mm. I've been learning how to use the ASIAIR system, perfect polar alignment, and guiding techniques. After getting through the technical setup, I decided to take a shot at one of my favourite nebulae.

Unfortunately, winter this year hasn’t been kind for clear skies, and I only managed an hour of imaging with 60 x 60-second exposures. Despite the less-than-ideal seeing conditions and the added challenge of my neighbours’ lights, I’m still impressed with the results of my first image. Hopefully, I’ll get more time to work on this target, but for now, I’m quite happy with my first attempt!