The Cone Nebula

Cone Nebula & Christmas Tree Cluster

NGC 2264

The Cone Nebula, also known as NGC 2264, is a fascinating and visually striking region of interstellar gas and dust located in the constellation Monoceros, approximately 2,700 light-years away from Earth. It is a prominent feature within a larger star-forming region known as the Christmas Tree Cluster.

The Cone Nebula gets its name from its distinctive conical shape, which is created by a dark absorption nebula obscuring the light from the background stars. The nebula is primarily composed of hydrogen gas, with traces of other elements and dust particles. The gas and dust of the Cone Nebula are illuminated by nearby stars, causing it to emit a reddish glow.
This remarkable nebula is a site of active star formation. Deep within the dense clouds of gas and dust, new stars are being born. Stellar winds and intense radiation from these young, massive stars have sculpted the surrounding material, creating the unique shape of the Cone Nebula.
This HaRGB version combines 3h 45' of RGB data with 3h 20' H-Alpha data.

Image Details

Date

December 17, 2022 & , January 18, 19, 2023

LOCATion

Hannover (Germany)

Sky Quality

Bortle 5

Telescope

Celestron RASA 8 (203/400 f/2)

Mount

Skywatcher EQ6-R Pro

Main Cameras