Celestial hemisphere:  Southern  ·  Constellation: Centaurus (Cen)  ·  Contains:  IC 2872  ·  IC 2944  ·  IC 2948  ·  The star λCen  ·  lambda Cen nebula
IC 2944 In Wide Field Narrowband Using a Modified HST Palette, Fernando
IC 2944 In Wide Field Narrowband Using a Modified HST Palette
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IC 2944 In Wide Field Narrowband Using a Modified HST Palette

IC 2944 In Wide Field Narrowband Using a Modified HST Palette, Fernando
IC 2944 In Wide Field Narrowband Using a Modified HST Palette
Powered byPixInsight

IC 2944 In Wide Field Narrowband Using a Modified HST Palette

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Description

IC 2944, also known as Running Chicken Nebula, in reallity is an open cluster embedded in a emission nebula found in constellation Centaurus, near Lambda Centauri. The nebula shows some Thackeray Globes, which are associated to an area of active star formation rgion, although there is no evidence of this fact due to the erosion caused by the intensse radiation coming from the closeby young stars.

Anyway, it is still know very little about their origin and nature, except that they are generally associated with areas of HII with a tendency for star formation.

IC 2944 is filled with gas and dust that is illuminated and heated by a loose cluster of massive stars. These stars are much hotter and much more massive than our Sun.

Some Databook facts:

Name: IC 2944 or Caldwell 100 or λ Centauri Nebula

Object Type: Open Cluster / Emission Nebula

Constellation Centaurus

Distance (light-years) 6,500 (cluster)

Apparent Mag. +4.5

RA (J2000) 11h 36m 36s

DEC (J2000) -63d 02m 00s

Apparent Size (arc mins) 15 (cluster)

Radius (light-years) 14 (cluster)

Number of Stars 30 (cluster)

Other Names Running Chicken Nebula

IMAGE:

Stack: 10 x 900 sec of Ha , O3 and S2

Scope: Q-65, a short refrator with 65mm and f/6.5.

Camera: ST-8300M

Flats, Darks and Bias Applied

Pre-processing and post-processing in PixInsight

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IC 2944 In Wide Field Narrowband Using a Modified HST Palette, Fernando