MMT Molecular Strip Mining

STRIP MINING THE HORSEHEAD NEBULA
WITH THE MMT MOLECULAR TELESCOPE
The MMT Telescope has initiated three levels of molecular strip mining. Level one is at the top with the tiny Horsehead in the center. The center view is molecular X2. The bottom strip is molecular with a machine setting of X3. The molecular view has several fantastic discoveries.

Horsehead Nebula small telescope view

The strip mining shape of the horse takes on a new appearance indicating the molecular does not exactly match up with the visual light representations. At Molecular Machine X3 calibration, the horse has an intense molecular center which is not see in a visual light image with the small telescope. Refer to the image captured with a smaller telescope and a CCD, at approximately the same image scale. Molecular brings out a better view of more stars and matter, including nebula, for analysis.