Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Auriga (Aur)  ·  Contains:  16 Aur  ·  17 AR Aur  ·  18 Aur  ·  19 Aur  ·  AE Aur  ·  Flaming Star Nebula  ·  HD241057  ·  HD241098  ·  HD241099  ·  HD241100  ·  HD241161  ·  HD241184  ·  HD241209  ·  HD241228  ·  HD241257  ·  HD241258  ·  HD241271  ·  HD241323  ·  HD241353  ·  HD241366  ·  HD241411  ·  HD241460  ·  HD241476  ·  HD241504  ·  HD241565  ·  HD241611  ·  HD241683  ·  HD241698  ·  HD241731  ·  HD241763  ·  And 116 more.
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IC 405, Gary Imm
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IC 405

Getting plate-solving status, please wait...
IC 405, Gary Imm
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IC 405

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Description

This object is a beautifully textured emission/reflection nebula which spans 25 light years and is located 1500 years away in the constellation of Auriga at a declination of +34 degrees. 

This object, also known as Sh2-229 and Caldwell 31, is nicknamed The Flaming Star Nebula because of both the reddish and bluish RGB colors surrounding the brightest star, AE Aurigae.  As shown on the mouseover, AE Aurigae is the brightest white star in the nebula.  This magnitude 6 variable star ionizes the hydrogen gas around it, emitting red light as a strong emission nebula, and creates light from starlight-reflected dust, emitting blue light as a reflection nebula.  This reflection nebula is vdB 34.

It is believed that AE Aurigae did not condense from the surrounding nebula, as most do, but is believed to have originated in Orion and is now an ejected runaway star passing through this area.  The collision responsible for this ejection is believed to have occured 2 million years ago and has been traced back to the Orion Nebula Trapezium cluster.

AE Aurigae is at the head of a small 4 star kite-shaped asterism in the central nebula region, with the top of the kite pointing down and to the left.  The tail of the kite is the double star HD 34030. 

My favorite part of the image is the 3-D look of the surrounding illuminated dust around AE Aurigae.  It looks as if we are looking down from the sky at a mountain range next to a glacier lake.

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