240703 - Sh2-142 "Wizard" nebula
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click image to enlarge
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ASTRO:
type=Emission nebula mag=7.2 const=Cepheus dist=8500 ly size=62 ly IMAGE: location=EB Driveway BrtlCls=3 moon=6% WnCr exposure=CMOS OSC, 80x300s (6.7 hr), G100 palette="Natural" HOO EQUIPMENT: camera=ZWO ASI2600MC-Pro optics=ES102 w1.0x fltnr, F=714mm, f/7.0 filter=Optolong L-eXtreme Duo NB mount=Celestron AVX guiding=Orion 60x240mm, ZWO ASi224MC SOFTWARE: acquisition=Stellarium, APT, PHD2 processing=PixInsight (RC Astro) (SetiAstro), PhotoshopCC (Lumenzia) (APF-R), LrC |
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What powers are being wielded in the Wizard Nebula? Gravitation strong enough to form stars, and stellar wind and radiation powerful enough to create and dissolve towers of gas. Located about 8,000 light years away, the Wizard nebula featured in this image surrounds developing open star cluster NGC 7380. Visually, the interplay of stars, gas, and dust has created a shape that appears to some like a fictional medieval sorcerer. The active star forming region spans about 100 light years, making it appear larger than the Full Moon. The Wizard Nebula can be located with a small telescope toward the constellation of the King of Aethiopia (Cepheus). Although the nebula may last only a few million years, some of the stars being formed may outlive our Sun.
Sh2-142 (also known as NGC 7380) is a young open cluster of stars in Cepheus which is a circumpolar constellation. The cluster was discovered by Caroline Herschel in 1787. The surrounding emission nebulosity spans an angle of 25 arc-minutes. German-born astronomer William Herschel included his sister's discovery in his catalog.
The Wizard is extremely difficult to observe visually, usually requiring very dark skies and an O-III filter. The Sh2-142 complex is located in the Perseus Arm of the Milky Way galaxy. The star cluster spans appx 20 light-years with an elongated shape and an extended tail. Age estimates range from 4 to 12 M years. At the center of the cluster lies the star, DH Cephei, a close, double-lined spectroscopic binary system consisting of two massive O-type stars. This pair are the primary ionizing source for the surrounding H-II region, and are driving out the surrounding gas and dust while triggering star formation in the neighboring region.
Sh2-142 (also known as NGC 7380) is a young open cluster of stars in Cepheus which is a circumpolar constellation. The cluster was discovered by Caroline Herschel in 1787. The surrounding emission nebulosity spans an angle of 25 arc-minutes. German-born astronomer William Herschel included his sister's discovery in his catalog.
The Wizard is extremely difficult to observe visually, usually requiring very dark skies and an O-III filter. The Sh2-142 complex is located in the Perseus Arm of the Milky Way galaxy. The star cluster spans appx 20 light-years with an elongated shape and an extended tail. Age estimates range from 4 to 12 M years. At the center of the cluster lies the star, DH Cephei, a close, double-lined spectroscopic binary system consisting of two massive O-type stars. This pair are the primary ionizing source for the surrounding H-II region, and are driving out the surrounding gas and dust while triggering star formation in the neighboring region.