Sh2-157 neighborhood

Higher resolution image

Image information:

Date: 08/31/2011
Equipment: SBIG ST2000XM with CFW10 using 5nm Astrodon Ha filter and Astrodon I series Gen II RGB filter set through Tamron SP AF 180mm f/3.5 Di LD IF Macro telephoto lens on Losmandy GM8 mount. Lens was working at f3.5.
Image type: Ha(Ha+R)GB
Exposure time: 10X12min Ha binned 1X1, RG&B 10X8min each binned 1X1
Comment:  

Object information:

Object designations:
  • Sh2-157
  • M52; NGC7654
  • NGC7635; Bubble Nebula
  • NGC7538
  • NGC7510
  • Sh2-156; IC1470
Object type:
  • Sh2-157 - diffuse emission nebula
  • M52 - open cluster
  • NGC7635 - diffuse emission nebula
  • NGC7538 - diffuse emission nebula
  • NGC7510 - open cluster
  • Sh2-156 - diffuse emission nebula
Object size:
  • Sh2-157 - 60' X 90'
  • M52 - 13'
  • NGC7635 - 15' X 8'
  • NGC7538 - 9' X 8'
  • NGC7510 - 7' X 5'
  • Sh2-156 - 1'
Constellation: Cepheus / Cassiopeia border
Comment:

This image shows interesting area on the border of constellations Cepheus and Cassiopeia.

Sh2-157 is a big squid-looking nebula in the middle of the image. The nebula is shaped by stellar wind and radiation from several energetic young stars in the vicinity. Sh2-157 has a diameter of some 200 ly and is about 8100 ly distant.

M52 is situated in the top left side of the image. M52 is a nice open cluster of 193 stars (estimate) in diameter of 19 ly. Distance of the cluster is some 5000 ly. M52 is a beautiful sight for small telescopes and even binoculars.

Bubble nebula is situated between M52 and Sh2-157.Bubble Nebula, NGC7635, is a diffuse nebula which appears as a large, faint and diffuse oval. The nebula surrounds an extremely hot and massive star of rare "Wolf-Rayet" type. Ultraviolet radiation from the star causes the gas to glow through a process known as fluorescence, and winds of material blown out from the star give the nebula its characteristic shape. NGC7635 is 7000 ly distant from Earth and has a diameter of 6 ly.

NGC7538 is nebula to the right of M52 and Bubble. It is some 9100 ly distant, and contains one of the largest protostars known. A protostar is a cloud of dense gas and dust collapsing under its own gravity to form a star. The protostar in NGC7538 is about 300 times the size of our solar system.

NGC7510 is the open cluster situated close to the Sh2-157 on the image (at the end of one of the squid's "tentacles"). In reality, it is one of the more distant visible open clusters with the distance of about 10200 ly.

Sh2-156 is the small patch of nebulosity at the middle right of the image. It is some 16000 ly distant with diameter of 17 ly. It seems to be ionized by a single energetic star.

Related images:

List of related images:

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