Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Taurus (Tau)  ·  Contains:  NGC 1514  ·  PGC 1916109  ·  PGC 1924861  ·  PK165-15.1
NGC 1514 Crystal Ball Nebula, Jerry Macon
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NGC 1514 Crystal Ball Nebula

NGC 1514 Crystal Ball Nebula, Jerry Macon
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NGC 1514 Crystal Ball Nebula

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Description

Images from the following two scopes (piggybacked) contributed to this image:

AG12+ASI1600MM at .70 asec/pix (RGB)

TV127is+ASI183MM at .75 asec/pix. (L)

They were all registered to the best R image taken on the AG12.

NGC1514 is a planetary nebula that was discovered by William Herschel on November 13, 1790, describing it "A most singular phenomenon" and forcing him to rethink his ideas on the construction of the heavens. Up until this point Herschel was convinced that all nebulae consisted of masses of stars too remote to resolve, but now here was a single star "surrounded with a faintly luminous atmosphere." He went on to conclude "Our judgement I may venture to say, will be, that the nebulosity about the star is not of a starry nature".

It has since been conjectured that the nebula in fact envelops a tightly orbiting double star with a period of up to 10 days. Gas is presumably expanding away from the larger star of the pair.

Located 2,200 light years from Earth.

(Wikipedia)

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NGC 1514 Crystal Ball Nebula, Jerry Macon