Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Perseus (Per)  ·  Contains:  46 ksi Per  ·  California Nebula  ·  IC 2005  ·  Menkib  ·  NGC 1499  ·  Sh2-220  ·  The star ξPer
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The California Nebula - A Close up, Prabhakaran
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The California Nebula - A Close up

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The California Nebula - A Close up, Prabhakaran
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The California Nebula - A Close up

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Description

The California Nebula (NGC 1499) is an emission nebula located in the constellation Perseus. It is so named because it appears to resemble the outline of the US State of California on long exposure photographs. It is almost 2.5° long in the sky and, because of its very low surface brightness, it is extremely difficult to observe visually. It lies at a distance of about 1,000 light-years from Earth and around 100 light-years long. The most prominent glow of the California Nebula is the red light characteristic of hydrogen atoms recombining with long-lost electrons, stripped away (ionized) by energetic starlight. The star most likely providing the energetic starlight that ionizes much of the nebular gas is the bright, hot, bluish Xi Persei just to the right of the nebula.

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The California Nebula - A Close up, Prabhakaran