Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Cepheus (Cep)  ·  Contains:  NGC 7235  ·  NGC 7245  ·  The star εCep
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Sharpless 2-132, Brian Peterson
Sharpless 2-132
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Getting plate-solving status, please wait...
Sharpless 2-132, Brian Peterson
Sharpless 2-132
Powered byPixInsight

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Description

This huge emission nebula is located in a dense star

field on the southern side of the constellation Cepheus.

The horizontal dimension of this image is about 3 1/2 degrees

across, or equivalent to 7 full moons placed side by side.

This cloud of glowing hydrogen is located about 10,000 light

years from earth.

Also visible in this image are two "planetary nebulae,"

the expelled remnants of dying stars. These show up in the image as

very bright red (and very small) objects, one in the lower right

quadrant , and one on the left side just above center.

Though I've seen a few online references to this object

as "the lion nebula," frankly I just don't see it. Instead,

I would like to suggest a different name: "the flying owl nebula" -- with the

two dark patches at upper center serving as the eyes of the owl's

head turned toward us, and two long wings extending out and down

on both sides. I hope you see it too.

Exposure: 20 hours (16.5 hours hydrogen-alpha; RGB 70 minutes each)

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Sharpless 2-132, Brian Peterson