I am checking in object again with my CMOS camera to try to optimize my Sharpless2 Collection. I had this in a wide angle H-alpha but it is supposed to be a dust cloud near Polaris. Anyway, after a lot of exposures in my light pollution I see nothing.... even when super stretched.
There are some outstanding Astrobin images of this:
https://www.astrobin.com/full/hhctar/D/From
GalaxyMap:There is very little in the scientific literature about this huge faint nebula located in a direction that is well above the galactic plane.
Sh 2-178 is associated with the giant molecular cloud known as the
Polaris Flare. The region's overall nebulosity does not derive from hydrogen-alpha emission in the region itself but instead from dusty cirrus clouds that reflect the light of the Milky Way.
GENERAL NOTE ON SHARPLESS2 OBJECTS>>>>>>>>>>>>>
There are 313 Sh2 objects which I have managed to image over about a 7 year period.
Some of the challenges with this series are FOV size and low declination:
There are 11 too diffuse/large to image well with my set up (Sh2 111, 117, 122, 131, 132, 145, 178, 218, 230, 268 and 310). I have imaged the first 6 of these mostly in the Nikon Wide angle shot referenced below and 178 and 230 as part of other images.
There are 5 that are never above 14 DEG (Sh2 2-6) but as of 7/12/21 I can get these now with pier upgrades and the images are completed as best as I can.
Many were taken with my old Tak 180 ED, which had a wide field of view, but was replaced with my Stellarvue 130, which is more narrow field. I have also taken two very wide field HA images with my Nikon D800 and a 50mm lens. I transitioned from my CCD SBIG 8300M to a CMOS ZWO ASI6200M Pro in September 2021.
The first one was taken on December 23, 2013 and the series completed October 17, 2019.This is my collection:
Sharpless2
Wide-Angle Hydrogen Alpha Nikon Image Sh2 79-171
Please note there is also a Sharpless2 Group with now more than 1500 examples.
Sharpless2 Group
Other useful links include:
Gary Imm's Collection
GalaxyMap's Collection
The Sharpless Catalog
The MDW H-alpha Sky Survey
Reiner Vogel's detailed observing catalog
Hope you enjoy these obscure but interesting objects...
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