IC 63 The Ghost of Cassiopeia (Barry Wilson)

Celestial hemisphere: Northern · Constellation: Cassiopeia (Cas) · Contains: IC 63 · Sh2-185 · gamma Cas nebula

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IC 63 The Ghost of Cassiopeia

Link: https://barrywilson.smugmug.com/

Powered byPixInsight

IC 63 The Ghost of Cassiopeia

Link: https://barrywilson.smugmug.com/

Having captured this target widefield and in mosaics both Steve and I wanted to process a higher resolution image to tease out the details in the 'Ghost'. Care when framing is need at this scale to place Gamma Cas just outside of the frame but having its influence readily discernible as the cause of the emission and reflection nebula comprising the Ghost.

From the Hubble Site: "Powerful gushers of energy from seething stars can sculpt eerie-looking figures with long flowing veils of gas and dust. One striking example is "the Ghost of Cassiopeia," officially known as IC 63, located 550 light-years away in the constellation Cassiopeia the Queen.

The nebula’s ethereal glow might remind people of apparitions such as those reported by paranormal investigators. In reality, it's simply hydrogen that is being bombarded with ultraviolet radiation from the nearby, blue-giant star Gamma Cassiopeiae (not seen here), causing it to glow in red light. The blue color is from light reflected off of the nebula’s dust.

The IC 63 nebula is not the only object under the influence of the blinding star, which unleashes as much energy as 34,000 suns. The Ghost Nebula is part of a much larger nebulous region surrounding Gamma Cassiopeiae that measures approximately two degrees on the sky — roughly four times as wide as the full Moon."

Data acqusition: Barry Wilson & Steve Milne

Processing: Barry Wilson

Entre Encinas y Estrellas (e-EyE)
Narrowband imaging

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Status	Advanced success
Started	...
Astrometry.net job	2980327
PixInsight job	OJ4BQJ3LS28OOFYUJ5TCDT4COTA3CSRC
PixInsight queue size	n/a
PixInsight stage	n/a

RA (center)	01h00m06s.221
RA (top/left)	00h57m48s.652
RA (top/right)	00h57m51s.139
RA (bottom/right)	01h02m20s.929
RA (bottom/left)	01h02m24s.393

Dec (center)	+61°01′26″.10
Dec (top/left)	+61°22′05″.92
Dec (top/right)	+60°40′40″.70
Dec (bottom/right)	+60°40′37″.47
Dec (bottom/left)	+61°22′03″.28

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IC 63 The Ghost of Cassiopeia

IC 63 The Ghost of Cassiopeia

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IC 63 The Ghost of Cassiopeia

IC 63 The Ghost of Cassiopeia

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