Sh 2-206 (aka NGC1491)


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By
Catalog
Obj Type
Location
Date Taken:
Smoot
Sh2 206
Nebula
Mayhill, NM
10-20-2012
Description

Sh 2-206, aka NGC 1491, is an emission nebula that is found in the constellation of Perseus. This particular nebula has an 11th magnitude O6-type star, BD +50°886, in its center. The "reddish" color of this object indicates that it is heavily composed of HII. Note how the central star is "blowing" a bubble in the gas that immediately surrounds it. The winds from the star are so energetic that they are breaking up the nebula to left of it in this picture. NGC 1491 and BFS 34 are part of the same cloud complex located at a distance of about 10,700 light-years away in the Perseus arm of the Milky Way Galaxy. 

There is an area that greatly benefits from narrow band data as can be seen in Ken Crawford's narrowband image here. This area also cries out for a mosaic to get some of the nebulosity above this area.  However lack of a good guide star in this area precluded me from finishing that area.

The image below is a two frame mosaic of this area (with Sh2-206 in the middle and Sh 2-209 on the left).  The image was generated by processing data downloaded from the WISE spacecraft.



The animation located here (warning large file) shows a fade from the visible data above to the IR data in this region and then back to the visible data.

Technical Details
Exposure Time:
3.5 hrs Ha, 5 hrs L, ~ 2 hrs each RGB
Camera:
SBIG STL-11000M
Telescope:
RCOS 16 inch f/8.7 Ritchey-Chretien
Mount:
Software Bisque Paramount ME
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Used with permission, No reproduction of these images are permitted without written approval from Smoot.