Deep Sky Object in Winter
Medusa Nebula (PK205+14.1 in Gemini)

Click on image to enlarge

Date & Time: Feb 24 2023, from 22:28 to 23:24 JST(+0900)
Composed 8 shots with 8 minutes exposed
Optical: Meade 25cm(10") Schmidt-Cassegrain with conversion lens (f=1600mm, F6.3)
with IDAS LPS-P1 Light-pollution suppression filter
Auto-guided with Meade LX200 Equatorial & Lacerta M-GEN
Digital Camera: Nikon D810A
Location: Ooizumi, Hokuto city, Yamanashi pref.

Camera Settings: Recording Format...14bit CCD-RAW, converted to 16bit TIFF(4080×4080)
Device Size...20×20mm
Sensitivity...ISO4000, White Balance...Daylight


PK205+14.1(Sh2-274) / Planetary Nebula
R.A.07h 29m 0.3s (2000.0)
Dec.+13° 14' 46" (2000.0)
Apparent Sizeabout 5'
Real SizeN/A
Magnitude -
DistanceN/A
This is a large planetary nebula lying around south of Gemini nearby Canis Minor. You can estimate about 5 arc minutes in diameter from the image, it's one of the largest planetary nebulae in heavens. But strange to say, the object is not very well known so doesn't be registered in NGC catalogue. The code of this nebula "PLN" is a minor catalogue of "Strasbourg Catalogue of Planetary Nebulae" that contains 1445 planetary nebulae.
The nebula has an apparent shape of circle, but fairly bright in southeast part so this image shows like the crescent moon. And the nebula is often called "Medusa Nebula". Medusa is a name of monster exterminated by Perseus, but a reason why the nebula has such a nickname is not clear.


Click on image to enlarge

Wide-field image around Medusa Nebula

Date & Time: Dec 27 2019, from 26:58 to 28:54 JST(+0900)
Composed 24 shots with 5 minutes exposed
Optical: TAKAHASHI 16cm(6.3") epsilon (f=530mm, F3.3)
with IDAS LPS-V4 Light-pollution suppression filter
Auto-guided with TAKAHASHI JP Equatorial & SBIG STV
Digital Camera: Canon EOS 6D (Remodeled)
Location: Ooizumi, Hokuto city, Yamanashi pref.

Camera Settings: Recording Format...14bit CCD-RAW, converted to 16bit TIFF(5472×3648)
Device Size...36×24mm, Sensitivity...ISO3200


This is a wide-field image captured the outer part of the Medusa nebula. You can appreciate that the extraordinary dimmed gaseous matter has been spread out in mainly northern part with span smaller than a degree.
This image has been cropped with a focal length of 700mm.



PK197-6.1
Gum Nebula

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