Deep Sky Object in Winter
Around Sh2-304 (Diffused Nebula in Canis Major)


Click on image to enlarge

Date & Time: Nov 21 2025, from 25:42 to 27:36 JST(+0900)
Composed 20 shots with 6 minutes exposed
Optical: BORG 67FL with a conversion lens (f=210mm, F3.4)
with IDAS LPS-D1 light-pollution suppression filter
Auto-guided with TAKAHASHI JP Equatorial
CMOS Camera: ZWO ASI2600MC Pro (Cooled temp.: -20°C)
Location: Ooizumi, Hokuto city, Yamanashi pref.

Camera Settings: Recording format...16bit FITS, converted to 16bit TIFF(6248×4176)
Device Size...23.5×15.7mm, Gain...100



Sh2-304 / Diffused Nebula, type 5 E
R.A.06h 43m 30.0s (2000.0)
Dec.-24°07' 00" (2000.0)
Apparent Size180.0×30.0'
Real Size200×30 light yrs.
Magnitude -
Distance3800 light yrs.
Other IDsLBN 1049
This image captures a wide field of 6.4×4.3 degrees, showcasing the Hα nebula Sh2-304, which spans the central region of the constellation Canis Major. Although Sh2-304 is extremely faint, it extends nearly 3 degrees in the north-south direction. Alongside Sh2-303, visible in the upper left corner of the image, the nebula is part of an interstellar gas region ionized by the light from the Wolf-Rayet star (WR6) at the center of the "Milk Pot Nebula" (Sh2-308), located on the left side of the frame. The estimated distance to Sh2-304 varies significantly across studies, with an average of about 3800 light-years. The nebulae visible in this image, as well as the broader interstellar gas, are associated with the "Canis Major OB2 Association", a stellar group in the region.


Objects around Sh2-304 Objects around Sh2-304




Sh2-302

Sh2-308


Copyright(c) 2025 by Naoyuki Kurita, All rights reserved.
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