The Rosette Nebula is a large emission nebula located 3000 light-years away. This nebula is aptly named. It looks remarkably like a rose. The nebula is massive, and consists of gasses having a total mass of about 10,000 suns. The gasses in the nebula are contracting under the influence of gravity to form new stars. The center region of the nebula has a relatively clear area where the gasses have been blown away by the solar wind of the newly formed stars in the star cluster. Filaments of dark dust can be seen in some places lacing through the nebula. Parts of the nebula have been designated with different NGC numbers, including NGC 2237, NGC 2238, NGC 2239 and NGC 2246. The stars in the center of the nebula form the open star cluster NGC 2244.
This image is an LRGB CCD image. The RGB data was taken with a Takahashi FCT-150 refractor using an SBIG STL-11000M CCD at prime focus (f7) on December 30, 2008. The luminance data was taken with a Takahashi Epsilon 180ED using an ST-8XE CCD on January 29 & 31, 2009. This image was taken from my backyard in Scottsdale, Arizona.
NGC 2237
Constellation: Monoceros
RA: 06h 30m 55s Dec: +05d 02' 52" (J2000)
December 30, 2008 and January 29 & 31,
2009
Image by Sid Leach
Scottsdale, Arizona
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