SUNSET: 
0
Photographer:
Jim Case
Location of Photo:
Southern California
Date/Time of photo:
9/16/2022 & 9/18/2022 10 pm-midnight
Equipment:
The image is constructed from 45 x 5 minute exposures with my 8” Meade LX200 ACF telescope, with a .63 Optec Lepus reducer, and an Antila ALP-T duo narrowband filter, using an ASIAIR plus controller, an Ioptron CEM40 mount, a ASI294MC-Pro camera, and an ASI OAG with a ASI174mm mini camera for guiding. Astro Pixel Processor and Photoshop were used to stack and process the exposures.
Description:
This is SH2-184, a bright emissions nebula in the Cassiopeia constellation, 9100 light years from earth. It is sometimes called the Pac-Man Nebula given its shape. The young open star cluster IC 1590 at the center of the image excites the hydrogen in the nebula, giving it the characteristic red glow, captured with a special filter. The brightest star at the center is a system of 4 hot stars. As you look closely you will see several dark areas close to the center, called Bok globules, which are dense clouds of dust that are likely to become protostars in the future. On the right of the nebula, just outside of the center area, there are several pillars or channels, also signs of new star formation.
