Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Taurus (Tau)  ·  Contains:  Hind's variable nebula  ·  LBN 817  ·  LDN 1543  ·  NGC 1554  ·  NGC 1555  ·  Sh2-238  ·  Struve's Lost nebula  ·  VdB28
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NGC 1555, Gary Imm
NGC 1555, Gary Imm

NGC 1555

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NGC 1555, Gary Imm
NGC 1555, Gary Imm

NGC 1555

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Description

This image includes a series of objects located 400 light years away in a large molecular cloud in the constellation of Taurus at a declination of +19 degrees. 

The bright yellow-orange star in the center is T Tauri. This star is the prototype for the class of variable stars called T Tauri stars. These stars are young (less than about ten million years old) pre-main-sequence stars found near molecular clouds. T Tauri is responsible for HH255, a Herbig-Haro object (nebulosity associated with gas jets from newborn stars). This object can be barely seen in my image in the full resolution view - it makes the star look non-circular, like two horns extending from the star. This object is also called Burnham's nebula, since it was one of the objects observed by Burnham at the end of the 19th century. This nebula is sometimes confused with the more popular Burnham's Nebula, which is NGC 7026.

Immediately to the right of T Tauri is NGC1555, known as Hind's Variable Nebula since it was discovered in 1852 by John Russell Hind. This reflection nebula is illuminated by T Tauri and is also known as vdB 28 and Sh2-238.  Both the star (T Tauri) and this nebula are seen to vary significantly in brightness over time, but not necessarily consistent with each other. This may be due to another possible HH object, given the name HH155, which is believed to be embedded in this nebula.

Numerous other very faint HH objects have also been identified in this region, all named with the prefix of HH355. Some of these are labelled on the annotated image. I believe that these HH355 objects are associated with T Tauri based on the symmetry of HH335B and HH3335D, located equidistant on each side of T Tauri. However, I could not find any documentation of this.

Also labeled on the annotated image is NGC 1554, nicknamed Struve's Lost Nebula. Nothing unusual has been seen in this location in modern times. It is debated whether this NGC entry is simply an observation mistake, or perhaps if a variable nebula flared up at this location in the 1860's and has not been seen since. I prefer to think the latter, and will continue to look for it in future years.

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Description: Annotated closeup

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NGC 1555, Gary Imm