vdB31
Reflection Nebula in Auriga
About
A blue reflection nebula in Auriga, lit by the seventh-magnitude young star AB Aurigae roughly 470 light-years from us. That star has a dusty disk with evidence of planet formation. Three Barnard dark nebulae (numbers 26, 27 and 28) lie alongside.
Imaging tips
- Framing runs 3030–5050 mm on APS-C; a wider 82 × 57′ frame took in the nebula together with those three dark nebulae.
- Broadband suits a reflection nebula; one imager gathered 280 min of LRGB in 10 min subs (10 luminance, 6 each of R, G, B).
- Another imager had 6/4/4/5 × 10 min of LRGB and said that this little integration forced heavy smoothing of the background.
- Best around November and December; it peaks near 71° altitude from 50°N.
Facts
- Size
- 8′
- Magnitude
- —
- Coordinates
- RA 4h 55.7m, Dec +30° 33′
- Framing, APS-C
- 3030–5050 mm
- Framing, full frame
- longer than 4000 mm
- Best months
- Nov, Dec
- Peak altitude
- 71° from 50°N, 86° from 35°N