About 3000 light-years away from our own milky-way,this combination of reflection- and emission-nebula can be found in the constellation of Vela as a 30 arc-mintues measuring nearly round object,labeled Gum15.
The bright center-star is a double one:HD 74804,which itself is a member of the star-cluster Collinder 197.Gum15 contains not only star-formation regions with strong red Ha-emissions,but also fine wisps of blue reflection-nebula.In some respect it resembles the famous Trifid-Nebula in Sagittarius (M20).
position (epoch 2000):
Ra.: 08h 43m 52.5s
Decl.: −41° 14′ 39″
image data:
L(R+Ha)GB image from:
L = 15 x 1200s
RGB= 6 x 1200s each
Ha = 8 x 2400s
a total of 16.33 hours
80cm f/7 AstroOptik Keller corrected cassegrain
FLI Proline 16803 Astrodon LRGB GenII filters
Prompt 7 CTIO/UNC Chile,remote controlled
image processing: Bernd Flach-Wilken
this 22´x 22´arc-minute large star-field in the constellation of Vela shows the bright nebula Gum15.For full resolution click HERE
another Gum 15-Nebula picture taken with ESO´s 2,2m-telescope at La Silla can be seen HERE