Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Monoceros (Mon)  ·  Contains:  Christmas Tree cluster  ·  Cone nebula  ·  NGC 2264  ·  The star 15Mon
Cone and Fox fur nebulae and Christmas tree cluster in HST palette, Gordon Haynes
Cone and Fox fur nebulae and Christmas tree cluster in HST palette
Powered byPixInsight

Cone and Fox fur nebulae and Christmas tree cluster in HST palette

Cone and Fox fur nebulae and Christmas tree cluster in HST palette, Gordon Haynes
Cone and Fox fur nebulae and Christmas tree cluster in HST palette
Powered byPixInsight

Cone and Fox fur nebulae and Christmas tree cluster in HST palette

Equipment

Loading...

Acquisition details

Loading...

Description

This enigmatic formation of gas and dust lies in the constellation of Monoceros (the Unicorn) not far off the right arm of Orion. This is a close-up of a small section of a much larger complex, generally known as the Christmas Tree cluster. The mysterious Cone Nebula is also a part of this same cloud.

The red regions of this nebula are caused by hydrogen gas that has been stimulated to emit its own light by the copious ultraviolet radiation coming from the hot, blue stars of the cluster. The blue areas shine by a different process: they are mainly dust clouds that reflect the bluish light of the same stars.

Its popular name arises because the nebula looks like the head of a stole made from the fur of a red fox.

Comments

Revisions

  • Cone and Fox fur nebulae and Christmas tree cluster in HST palette, Gordon Haynes
    Original
  • Final
    Cone and Fox fur nebulae and Christmas tree cluster in HST palette, Gordon Haynes
    B

Sky plot

Sky plot

Histogram

Cone and Fox fur nebulae and Christmas tree cluster in HST palette, Gordon Haynes