IC 443 - Jellyfish Nebula

IC 443

The Jellyfish Nebula IC 443 is a supernova remnant (SNR) in the constellation Gemini, which is located near the 3rd magnitude star η Geminorum (in the upper right corner of the image). It is about 5,000 light years distant from Earth. IC 443 is a large SNR, having an angular diameter of 50 arcmin. The supernova explosion which produced the nebula has occurred about 30,000 years ago. The SNR emits X-rays which are produced by a neutron star hidden within the nebula, which is the collapsed remnant of the core of the original star which exploded in the supernova. IC 443 is heavily interacting with surrounding molecular clouds.

Gemini, zoom lens photograph.

Exposure Data

Instrument: 9.5" f/4.9 Newtonian
F/stop: 5.6
Exposure: 15 x 10 min + 2 min + 9 seconds
Camera: Canon 350D with Baader UV-IR-Cut-Filter
Sensitivity: ISO 800
Date: February 8, 2008
Exposure start: 23:51 MEZ
Location: Ebenwaldhöhe, Lower Austria
Conditions: Visual limiting magnitude 6.2 mag, Seeing 2.5" FWHM, Temperature -4°C, no wind, moderate humidity
Autoguider: Meade Pictor 216 XT, max. error: 1" (RA), 1" (Dec)
Enhancement: Basic data reduction, combine, logarithmic curves, star size reduction, noise filtering, local contrast enhancement, background flattening, dynamic range extension

Back to Supernova Remnants

Up to the Gallery of Astrophotography

Home to astro.nightsky.at

Print Purchase Info