The Jellyfish Nebula IC443

Field centered on R.A. 06h 20' & Dec. +22° 45'

 

Normally faint and elusive, the Jellyfish Nebula is caught in the net of this spectacular wide-field telescopic view. Flanked by two yellow-tinted stars at the foot of a celestial twin - Mu and Eta Geminorum - the Jellyfish Nebula is the brighter arcing ridge of emission with dangling tentacles just right of center. Here, the cosmic jellyfish is seen to be part of bubble-shaped supernova remnant IC 443, the expanding debris cloud from an exploded star some 5,000 light-years away. Also in view, emission nebula IC 444 nearly fills the field to the upper left, dotted with small blue reflection nebulae. Like its cousin in astrophysical waters, the Crab Nebula, IC 443 is known to harbor a neutron star, the collapsed core of the massive star that exploded over 30,000 years ago. (text adapted from APOD).

 

Instrument:
Exposure:
Site:
Author:
Pentax SXD75 + Vixen Atlux + SBIG STL11K + Optec Ha filter Ha=150 min

Gambugliano (Vi) - Italy

M.Lorenzi

 

 
 
 
 
 
 

 

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