vdB141 — Ghost Nebula
Reflection Nebula in Cepheus
About
The Ghost Nebula, a reflection nebula joined to an emission nebula in Cepheus, about 1,470 light-years away and also listed as Sh2-136. The nebula is a globule more than two light-years wide, found roughly 1° east of NGC 7023.
Imaging tips
- Only about 5′ across, so it is too small to frame: use a long focal length and a fine pixel scale.
- Reflection nebulae need broadband. One imager used LRGB with 9 × 10 min in each of L, R, G and B (6 hours); another shot 38 × 600 s with a modified DSLR and no filter (6.3 hours).
- It is the brightest part of a faint dust complex, and one source says some of that dust may glow dim red.
- Best around July and August, peaking near 72° altitude from 50°N.
Facts
- Size
- 5′
- Magnitude
- —
- Coordinates
- RA 21h 16.4m, Dec +68° 16′
- Framing, APS-C
- longer than 4000 mm
- Framing, full frame
- longer than 4000 mm
- Best months
- Jul, Aug
- Peak altitude
- 72° from 50°N, 57° from 35°N