The Cone and Fox Fur Nebulas with the Christmas Tree Cluster
January 25, 2023
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This region in Monoceros is a popular target for astrophotographers. It’s not far from the more famous Rosette Nebula, NGC 2244.
NGC 2264 – The Cone Nebula and Christmas Tree Cluster
Catalogued as part of NGC 2264, the Cone Nebula is about 2,700 light years away and is about ten light years tall. The origins of the cone shape remain unknown.
Just above the Cone in the frame is the Christmas Tree cluster, also part of NGC 2264, gets its name from its vaguely Christmas-tree-like structure. It has to be rotated 180 degrees to have a chance to see it:
Sh2-273 – The Fox Fur Nebula
Above both the Cone and the Tree, slanting up toward the upper right of the frame, you can see Sh2-273, the Fox Fur Nebula. It contains both reddish emission regions and also blue reflection regions.
Celestron 1100 EdgeHD
Telescope
Finder Chart
Click to expand
Total integration: 22h 32m 30s
Integration per filter:
- R: 1h 2m (124 × 30")
- G: 1h 3m (126 × 30")
- B: 1h 3m 30s (127 × 30")
- Hα: 6h 27m (129 × 180")
- S2: 6h 24m (128 × 180")
- O3: 6h 33m (131 × 180")
Coordinates: 6h 41m 2s · +9° 39′ 58″
Image Capture
Location:
Back yard in North Dallas
Camera:
ZWO ASI6200MM-Pro
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