IC 2087 from my Jade Observatory

In December 2025, I imaged the nebula IC 2087 along with the surrounding dark nebulae from my Jade Observatory. This region lies within the extensive Taurus–Auriga molecular cloud complex, a nearby and well-studied star-forming region rich in dust, gas, and young stellar objects. The combination of emission, reflection, and absorption features makes this area particularly rewarding for deep imaging.

Scientifically, IC 2087 is a reflection nebula illuminated by nearby young stars, its bluish glow caused by starlight scattered by fine interstellar dust grains. Embedded within and around the nebula are dense dark clouds that obscure the background Milky Way, creating striking contrasts between bright and shadowed regions. These dark nebulae are cold molecular structures where star formation is either ongoing or yet to begin. Deep, high-resolution imaging helps to reveal subtle dust filaments, faint reflection features, and the complex interplay between illumination and obscuration that characterizes this nearby stellar nursery.

Data calibration, registration and the final processing was done with PixInsight. The result was as follows:

In the image, you can also see top left the planetary nebula PK174-14.1, also known as Haro 3-29.

The images were taken with the following equipment:

• Date: 2025
• Location: Varel, Germany
• Telescope: 6″ Newton ohne Namen
• Focal length [mm]: 450
• Focal ratio: 3
• Mount: Skywatcher EQ8
• Camera: Lacerta DeepSkyPro 2600
• Filter: L:R:G:B
• Exposure time [min]: 480:150:145:150
• Resolution: 1.72″/px