Celestial hemisphere:  Southern  ·  Constellation: Canis Major (CMa)  ·  Contains:  16 CMa)  ·  16 omi01 CMa  ·  HD50232  ·  HD50260  ·  HD50304  ·  HD50465  ·  HD50492  ·  HD50563  ·  HD50591  ·  HD50646  ·  HD50679  ·  HD50680  ·  HD50740  ·  HD50804  ·  HD50896  ·  HD51013  ·  HD51034  ·  HD51036  ·  HD51087  ·  HD51155  ·  HD51176  ·  HD51407  ·  HD51550  ·  LBN 1052  ·  Sh2-308  ·  The star Udra (ο1 CMa
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SH2-308 Dolphin Nebula, Darius Kopriva
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SH2-308 Dolphin Nebula

Getting plate-solving status, please wait...
SH2-308 Dolphin Nebula, Darius Kopriva
Powered byPixInsight

SH2-308 Dolphin Nebula

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Description

Sh2-308, also designated as Sharpless 308, RCW 11, or LBN 1052, is an H II region located near the center of the constellation Canis Major, composed of ionised hydrogen. It is about 8 degrees south of Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky. The nebula is bubble-like and surrounds a Wolf–Rayet star named EZ Canis Majoris. This star is in the brief, pre-supernova phase of its stellar evolution. The nebula is about 4,530 light-years (1,389 parsecs) away from Earth, but some sources indicate that both the star and the nebula are up to 5,870 ly (1,800 pc) away. Yet others indicate the nebula is as close as 1,875 ly (575 pc) from Earth.

The nebula was formed about 70,000 years ago by the star EZ Canis Majoris throwing off its outer hydrogen layers, revealing inner layers of heavier elements. Fast stellar winds, blowing at 1,700 km/s (3.8 million mph) from this star, create the bubble-shaped nebula as they sweep up slower moving material from an earlier phase of the star's evolution. The hydrogen composing the nebula is ionised by intense ultraviolet radiation. The nebula is approximately 60 light-years across at its widest point.

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SH2-308 Dolphin Nebula, Darius Kopriva

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Southern Hemisphere Astro