vdB17
Reflection Nebula in Perseus
About
NGC 1333, the Embryo Nebula, a reflection nebula in Perseus lit by the B8 star BD +30 549. Its home is the Perseus molecular cloud's western side, roughly 1,000 light-years away, and its dust hides a very active nursery of young stars and Herbig-Haro jets.
Imaging tips
- One source gives about 6′ × 3′, so it is small: use a long focal length and a fine pixel scale.
- One imager used a 12-inch f/3.6 astrograph and 10-minute LRGB exposures; four hours of total time gave a wide shot that includes this nebula.
- A deeper image from the same observatory shows very red knots: Herbig-Haro objects, more than 25 of them, so long data pays off here.
- A wide field also holds the reflection nebulae vdB12 and vdB13, and the Perseus cloud stretches toward NGC 1333 from there.
- Best in October and November; it peaks near 71° from 50°N.
Facts
- Size
- 10′
- Magnitude
- —
- Coordinates
- RA 3h 29.3m, Dec +31° 25′
- Framing, APS-C
- 2420–4040 mm
- Framing, full frame
- 3710–6190 mm
- Best months
- Oct, Nov
- Peak altitude
- 71° from 50°N, 86° from 35°N