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M35 and IC 443 Area (SQA55 RMod).jpg
This frames the area in southern Gemini near the "feet" of the Twins that is rich in star clusters and nebulosity.
Star clusters: At top is the bright showpiece star cluster Messier 35, with a smaller and more distant but nevertheless rich cluster NGC 2158. To the right and below is the small knot of stars NGC 2129.
Nebulas: At centre is the arc of the supernova remnant IC 443, aka the Jellyfish Nebula. To the left (east) of it is the faint area of emission nebulosity Sharpless 2-249. On its upper edge is the small blue reflection nebula IC 444, looking like a fuzzy blue star. A large and loose star cluster surrounding IC 444 is Collinder 89. At bottom is the large and bright NGC 2174, aka the Monkey Head Nebula. It also has an associated star cluster embedded in it, NGC 2175. The small dim nebula above it is Sharpless 2-247.
The area is also filled with orange stars, notably Mu Geminorum (aka Tejat Posterior) at left, and Eta Geminorum (aka Prpous or Tejat Prior) at centre.
The field of view is 7.8° by 5.2°.
Technical:
This is a stack of 22 x 4 minute exposures through the Askar SQA55 astrographic refractor at its native f/4.8 focal ratio, using the astro-modified Canon R camera at ISO 800. No filter was employed here, just the added red sensitivity of the modified camera. It was on the Star Adventurer GTi mount autoguided with the ASIAir and ZWO guide camera on the Rouz Astro 50mm guidescope, on a very fine winter night, January 25, 2025.
Star clusters: At top is the bright showpiece star cluster Messier 35, with a smaller and more distant but nevertheless rich cluster NGC 2158. To the right and below is the small knot of stars NGC 2129.
Nebulas: At centre is the arc of the supernova remnant IC 443, aka the Jellyfish Nebula. To the left (east) of it is the faint area of emission nebulosity Sharpless 2-249. On its upper edge is the small blue reflection nebula IC 444, looking like a fuzzy blue star. A large and loose star cluster surrounding IC 444 is Collinder 89. At bottom is the large and bright NGC 2174, aka the Monkey Head Nebula. It also has an associated star cluster embedded in it, NGC 2175. The small dim nebula above it is Sharpless 2-247.
The area is also filled with orange stars, notably Mu Geminorum (aka Tejat Posterior) at left, and Eta Geminorum (aka Prpous or Tejat Prior) at centre.
The field of view is 7.8° by 5.2°.
Technical:
This is a stack of 22 x 4 minute exposures through the Askar SQA55 astrographic refractor at its native f/4.8 focal ratio, using the astro-modified Canon R camera at ISO 800. No filter was employed here, just the added red sensitivity of the modified camera. It was on the Star Adventurer GTi mount autoguided with the ASIAir and ZWO guide camera on the Rouz Astro 50mm guidescope, on a very fine winter night, January 25, 2025.
- Copyright
- © Alan Dyer/AmazingSky.com
- Image Size
- 6720x4480 / 36.6MB
- www.amazingsky.com
- Contained in galleries
- Star Clusters, NGC/IC Objects, Messier Objects, Nebulas

