Nebulae in Auriga
Image Credit & Copyright: Fritz Helmut Hemmerich
Explanation: Rich in star clusters and nebulae, the ancient
constellation of the Charioteer (
Auriga) rides high in northern winter night skies. Composed from narrow and broadband filter data and spanning nearly 8 Full Moons (4 degrees) on the sky,
this deep telescopic view shows off some of Auriga's celestial bounty. The field includes emission region
IC 405 (top left) about 1,500
light-years distant. Also known as the
Flaming Star Nebula, its red, convoluted clouds of glowing hydrogen gas are energized by hot
O-type star
AE Aurigae.
IC 410 (top right) is significantly more distant, some 12,000 light-years away. The
star forming region is famous for its embedded young star cluster,
NGC 1893, and
tadpole-shaped clouds of dust and gas. IC 417 and NGC 1931 at the lower right,
the Spider and the Fly, are also young star clusters embedded in natal clouds that lie far beyond IC 405. Star cluster
NGC 1907 is near the bottom edge of the frame, just right of center. The crowded field of view looks along the plane of our
Milky Way galaxy, near the direction of the
galactic anticenter.
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