About 5,000 light years from Earth, IC 443 is a super nova remnant (SNR) located in the constellation Gemini. With a size of nearly 70 million light year across, is has a shell-like structure composed of two sub-shells each with different centers and radii. In the northwestern portion of the object (as oriented in my image), is a shockwave, a bright, complex lattice of filaments composed primarily of hydrogen. Extending from this region are streamers of gas and dust extending 25 light years.

Making this image has been a long, strange trip. In December 2018 I acquired nearly 20 hours of very good narrowband data of IC 443 using an SW Esprit 100 (550mm FL). While I really liked the image that came from those data (Version B posted here), I was particularly intrigued by the shock wave in the northwestern portion of the SNR (the “bell” of the jellyfish). My data were very tight (HFR 2.0-2.5) and the network of gaseous filaments were distinct with streamers of star ejecta exploding from the glowing tangle. I tried to crop the image to frame the area, but the optical resolution was insufficient and the resulting image was soft. I needed a longer telescope. In the spring 2019 I acquired an WO FLT132, 925mm FL. As soon as IC 443 rose into the nighttime sky I was ready to collect data. Unfortunately through 2019 and 2020 weather, wild fires, and bad seeing prevented the collection of high quality data. During that period I collect and discarded nearly 60 hours of sub lights. Finally, on January 17, 2021, the night sky cleared, the seeing was exceptional, and I collected 4.5 hours of data with HFR 2.0-2.5. Over the next week I was able to collect about 15 hours of low HFR data, enough to finally make the image I have envisioned more than two years earlier. Patience and persistence are necessary elements of astrophotography. For me, it was worth the wait.