NGC 2392 - Eskimo Planetary Nebula

In 1787, astronomer Willaim Herschel discovered the Eskimo nebula.   From the ground, NGC 2392 resembles a person's head surrounded by a parka hood. The nebula displays gas clouds so complex they are not fully understood. The Nebula is clearly a planetary nebula, and the gas seen above composed the outer layers of a Sun-like star only 10,000 years ago.

The inner filaments visible above are being ejected by strong wind of particles from the central star. The outer disk contains unusual light-year long orange filaments. The Eskimo Nebula lies about 5000 light-years away and is visible with a small telescope in the constellation of Gemini.

Date:  12-23-03

Telescope: RC14.5 Prime Focus        Camera:ST8XE AO Guided               

Exposure Time: LRGB 60m 1bin;30min;30min;30min; 2x2bin

Processing: Maxim,reduced, DDP, CCDSharp 5 int; Adobe combined, cropped.