The Pelican Nebula (also known as IC 5070 and IC 5067) is an H II region associated with the North America Nebula in the constellation Cygnus. The gaseous contortions of this emission nebula bear a resemblance to a pelican, giving rise to its name. The Pelican Nebula is located nearby firstmagnitude star Deneb, and is divided from its more prominent neighbour, the North America Nebula, by a molecular cloud filled with dark dust.

The Pelican is much studied because it has a particularly active mix of star formation and evolving gas clouds. The light from young energetic stars is slowly transforming cold gas to hot and causing an ionization front gradually to advance outward. Particularly dense filaments of cold gas are seen to still remain, and among these are found two jets emitted from the Herbig–Haro object 555. Millions of years from now this nebula might no longer be known as the Pelican, as the balance and placement of stars and gas will leave something that appears completely different.

Imaging telescopes or lenses: Teleskop Service 10″ Newton F4.8
Imaging cameras: Atik 383L+
Mounts: Astro-Physics Mach 1 GTO
Guiding telescopes or lenses: Teleskop Service 10″ Newton F4.8
Guiding cameras: Orion StarShoot Autoguider
Focal reducers: ASA 2″ x 0,73 Corrector/Reducer 2KORRR
Software: PixInsight PixInsinght 1.8 RC7
Filters: Baader Planetarium Baader 2″ Narrowband Set
Dates: Sept. 4, 2013
Frames: Baader Planetarium Baader 2″ Narrowband Set: 14×400″ -20C bin 1×1
Integration: 1.6 hours
Darks: ~20
Flats: ~20
Flat darks: ~20
Bias: ~20

Autor: Pekka Simell

AstroPhotography of the day by SPONLI

21 January 2014

We select the best works of amateur astrophotographers with details of equipment, shooting processing etc.