Wizard Nebula in Narrowband
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Object
Wizard Nebula in Narrowband
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Description
NGC 7380, widely known as the Wizard Nebula, is a complex emission region in the constellation Cepheus, located approximately 7,200 light-years from Earth. In this narrowband view, the nebula is revealed as a layered structure of ionized gas shaped by the intense radiation and stellar winds from the young star cluster embedded within it. Dense clouds of hydrogen, oxygen, and sulfur are carved into arcs, cavities, and ridges, marking the boundaries where energetic starlight meets colder, denser material.
The color palette in this image highlights the physical processes at work inside the nebula. Ionized oxygen (O III) traces the hottest, most energetic regions, glowing in blue-cyan tones near the core, while hydrogen (H-alpha) dominates the surrounding gas, defining much of the nebula’s overall structure. Emission from sulfur (S II) outlines denser, shock-compressed regions along the outer edges, where stellar feedback is actively reshaping the cloud. Together, these layers provide a detailed look at an active stellar nursery, capturing the interplay between newly formed stars and the interstellar medium from which they emerged.
Objects in image: NGC 7380 -
Image
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Scope
Explore Scientific 127ed APO refractor
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Camera
ASI-1600mm pro (monochrome)
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Mount
Paramount MYT
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Filters
Ha Oiii Sii
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Guiding
Askar 400 with off axis guider
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Exposure Info
Total integration: 12.5 hours
Hα: 50 × 5 minutes
O III: 50 × 5 minutes
S II: 50 × 5 minutes -
Date
11/13/2024
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Copyright
Photo copyright Thomas Kerns, Beluga Lake Observatory
Other images of the same object
11/11/2024