IC 5068 – The Dick Tracy Nebula (or the Foresaken Nebula)
September 7, 2022
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What I refer to as the Dick Tracy Nebula (IC 5068) actually goes by the names the Forgotten Nebula or the Forsaken Nebula. Located near the North America and Pelican Nebulas, the distance to Dick Tracy was long thought to be approximately 1,600 light years, but some sources list it as closer to 2,500 light years using data from the Gaia mission.
The cause of its striated pattern is not well documented, but it could be the result of stellar winds (the giant star Deneb is nearby), gravitational fields, and gravitational collapse.
In any case, for me, the form of the nebula really evokes the image of a profile of the iconic detective with his fedora and chiseled features:
Image Capture
Location:
Back yard in North Dallas
Camera:
Total integration: 17h 16m 30s
Integration per filter:
- Lum/Clear: 9h 18m (186 × 180")
- R: 25m (45 × 30")
- G: 25m (45 × 30")
- B: 23m 30s (47 × 30")
- Hα: 5h 30m (110 × 180")
- S2: 5h 15m (105 × 180")
- O3: 5h 18m (106 × 180")
Coordinates: 20h 50m 22s · +42° 28′ 16″
ZWO ASI6200MM-Pro
Finding Chart
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Telescope
Celestron 1100 EdgeHD
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