THE DOLPHINHEAD NEBULA
- Deepspace object LHOO, 560mm
- Constellation Ursus Major

The Dolphinhead Nebula, also known as RCW 11, is an enchanting H-2 Region in the constellation of the Great Dog (Canis Major). About 5200 light-years from Earth, this cosmic dance of luminous gas and dust rises like a dazzling jewel in the night sky. The delicate mixture of bright red and soft blue creates a fascinating play of colors that captures the imagination. The nebula takes its name from the graceful arcs of ionized hydrogen gas that resemble the elegant shapes of a dolphin peering out of the water. This celestial work of art is the product of the interaction between a massive star and the surrounding interstellar clouds of matter. The massive star that created the bubble - a Wolf-Rayet star - is the bright star near the nebula's center. Wolf-Rayet stars have more than 20 solar masses, they are probably in the evolution of massive stars in a short phase before a supernova. The fast winds of this Wolf-Rayet star create the bubble-shaped nebula by compressing slower material from an earlier phase of evolution. The wind-blown nebula is about 70,000 years old.

SH2-308 is a stunning and fascinating celestial region that transports the viewer on an unforgettable cosmic adventure. Amidst the darkness of space, SH2-308 shines as a sparkling jewel surrounded by a dazzling nebula of vivid colors. The electrifying mix of luminous red, soft blue and mysterious violet paints a picture of unbridled beauty and unprecedented wonder.

Individual star-forming regions are like sparkling birthplaces of stars, where the intensity and fervor of the birth of new suns exude an aura of unimaginable energy. While immersed in SH2-308, it is easy to imagine the forces of creation and destruction merging in an ever-growing harmony.

Lens: ASA H8 f/2.9 Hyperbolic f=560mm (AFIL-9 Insight Observatory)
Camera: QHY 600M / Filters Astrodon
Mount: ASA DDM60
Lights: 46x hA, 35x OIII each 300s Bin 1x1
Location: Remote Skygems Observatories - Hakos, Namibia
Date: 2022-12-18 - 2023-02-01

Acquired imageset taken by Insight Observatory, Image Processing - Thomas ArtOfPix Grossschmidt.

Image Processing:
Primarily Pixinsight, Photoshop, Lightroom, GraXpert, BTX Blur Terminator, Noise Terminator, Star X Terminator.