B169
Dark Nebula in Cepheus
About
A small dark nebula in Cepheus, a patch of dust that hides the stars behind it. Edward Emerson Barnard included it in the dark-nebula list he published in 1919.
Imaging tips
- Only about 5×4′, so it is too small to frame: use a long focal length and a fine pixel scale.
- A dark nebula shows only against the star field, so shoot broadband.
- One imager recorded it with 36 × 5 min luminance and 23 × 7 min colour in a field about 3.2° across that also held several bright Cepheus stars.
- Best in August and September; it peaks near 81° altitude from 50°N.
Facts
- Size
- 5′ × 4′
- Magnitude
- —
- Coordinates
- RA 21h 58.9m, Dec +58° 45′
- Framing, APS-C
- longer than 4000 mm
- Framing, full frame
- longer than 4000 mm
- Best months
- Aug, Sep
- Peak altitude
- 81° from 50°N, 66° from 35°N