| Classification: |
Emission Nebula NGC2359 / LBN227&1041 / GUM 4 / Sh2-289 |
| Constellation: |
Canis Major (CMA) |
| Object Location: |
Ra 05h 41m 45s Dec -02° 26’15° (current) |
| Size & Distance: |
9.0 x 9.0 Apx 15,000 light years. |
|
| Date & Location: |
02-9/10-2008 Little Blair Valley, CA. |
| Exposure: |
Hubble Palette SHO, Sll=R, Ha=G, Olll=B, 4ea. @ 10min. (bin 1x1) |
| Optics: |
Takahashi Epsilon-180 f2.8 504mm. w/ FLI-DF2 focuser. |
| Mount: |
Astro-Physics 900 GTO / ATS 10x36 pier. |
| Camera: |
Starlight-Xpress SXV-H9 w/ SXV guider head and 2045. |
| Filters: |
Astrodon 6nm Ha, Sll, Olll. |
| Software: |
MaxImDL 4.56, Photoshop CS |
|
| Notes: |
Sky conditions: Above average seeing, No wind, Temp 25-31°
Image Field of view is 45 x 60 arcmin.
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NGC 2359, also known as Thor's Helmet, is an emission nebula in the constellation Canis Major. The nebula is approximately 15,000 light-years away and 30 light-years in size.
The central star is the Wolf-Rayet star HD 56925, an extremely hot giant thought to be in a brief, pre-supernova stage of evolution. It is similar in nature to the Bubble Nebula, interactions with a nearby large molecular cloud are thought to have contributed to the more complex shape and curved bow-shock structure of Thor's Helmet.
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