Daily Image
27-09-2007
The Pelican Nebula
| Submitter: | Albert van Duin |
| Description: | The Pelican Nebula (also known as IC 5070) is a H II region associated with the North America Nebula. The nebula resembles a pelican in shape, hence the name. The Pelican Nebula is a large area of emission nebula in the constellation Cygnus (the Swan), close to Deneb, and divided from its brighter, larger neighbor, the North America Nebula, by a molecular cloud filled with dark dust. The Pelican is much studied because it has a particularly active mix of star formation and evolving gas clouds. The light from young energetic stars is slowly transforming cold gas to hot and causing an ionization front gradually to advance outward. Particularly dense filaments of cold gas are seen to still remain. Millions of years from now this nebula might no longer be known as the Pelican, as the balance and placement of stars and gas will leave something that appears completely different. (source: Wikipedia) This image is a 63 minute integration made on August 5, 2007 with a 20cm F2.75 ASA Astrograph and a modified Canon 350D Digital SLR camera at 1600 ISO. There was some interference from a last quarter Moon. A larger version can be found at http://www.astropix.nl |
| Copyright: | Albert van Duin |
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