IC 5146 Cocoon Nebula (Alex Woronow)

Celestial hemisphere: Northern · Constellation: Cygnus (Cyg) · Contains: B168 · Cocoon nebula · IC 5146 · Sh2-125 · VdB147

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IC 5146 Cocoon Nebula

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IC 5146 Cocoon Nebula

OTA: Star-Fire 175 (f/8)

Camera: FLI - PL16070AE

Observatory: Deep Sky West

EXPOSURES:

Red: 34 x 600 seconds

Blue: 33 x 600

Green: 27 x 600

Lum: 36 x 600

Total exposure 21.7 hours

Image Width: ~1.5 deg; North is to the right

Processed by Alex Woronow (2019) PixInsight, Matlab, AuroraHDR

The star cluster IC 5146 and its associated reddish cloud, the Cocoon Nebula (Sh2-125), are embedded in an extensive faint reflection/dark nebula. The faint nebula seldom becomes a featured element of the image in amateur-processed images. My image illustrates the fact that the Cocoon Nebula actually appears somewhat hazy due to the envelopment by the broader nebula. Again, many images are processed to suppress that natural haze as much as possible. In addition, note the faint loops and streamers at the outer edges of the nebula--likely spawned by the ignition of Young Stellar Objects (YSOs).

The Cocoon molecular cloud is a highly active stellar nursery, with hundreds of identified YSOs (Young Stellar Objects). According to (1) the bright ‘central’ star BD+46°3474

“…formed near the near surface of the present cloud and evacuated a blister cavity out of which gas and dust are now flowing through a funnel-shaped volume in the approximate direction of the Sun. It is suggested that the IC 5146 cluster stars formed in a dense foreground section of the molecular cloud that was dissipated following the appearance of +46°3474.”

Herbig & Dahm, The Young Cluster IC 5146, AJ, 2002

The image posted is an 80% jpeg (to reduce file size). The image was photometrically calibrated, with subsequent intensification of saturation and contrast, but no major hue adjustments.

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Status	Advanced success
Started	...
Astrometry.net job	3051332
PixInsight job	7IQQT5XQK1XZU4PMPTIQ13XLWTW1YO5G
PixInsight queue size	n/a
PixInsight stage	n/a

RA (center)	21h51m58s.52
RA (top/left)	21h54m50s.56
RA (top/right)	21h54m42s.24
RA (bottom/right)	21h49m01s.87
RA (bottom/left)	21h49m19s.49

Dec (center)	+47°24′43″.3
Dec (top/left)	+46°42′35″.5
Dec (top/right)	+48°08′00″.2
Dec (bottom/right)	+48°06′35″.8
Dec (bottom/left)	+46°41′10″.7

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IC 5146 Cocoon Nebula

IC 5146 Cocoon Nebula

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IC 5146 Cocoon Nebula

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