NGC2264 Christmas Tree Cluster
Image information:
| Date: | 03/06/2026 |
| Equipment: | Altair Hypercam 533C colour camera through Sky-Watcher Esprit 80 ED telescope on Pegasus Astro NYX-101 mount. The telescope was working at f5 with Sky-Watcher field flattener. |
| Image type: | OSC |
| Exposure time: | 80X3min, gain 250 (0.8e/ADU) |
| Comment: |
Object information:
|
Object designations: |
Christmas Tree Cluster, Cone Nebula, Fox Fur Nebula NGC2264 |
|
Object type: |
Open cluster embedded in a diffuse nebula |
|
Object size: |
60' for the whole complex |
| Constellation: |
Monoceros
|
|
Comment: |
NGC2264 is collective designation for a big star forming region in the constellation of Monoceros. Most prominent objects in the region are the Christmas Tree Cluster, the Cone Nebula and the Fox Fur Nebula. Christmas Tree Cluster is an open cluster of some 40 young stars. Stars of the cluster are responsible for exciting gas and dust in the region and generating light. At the bottom of the Christmas Tree there is a giant star S Mon which is 8700 times more luminous than the Sun. Where obscuring dust clouds lay close to young stars, they reflect their light, forming the bluish reflection areas of the nebulosity. At the top of the Christmas tree there is the Cone Nebula. The Cone Nebula is a pillar of dust, 7 ly long, shaped by wind of particles from some nearby energetic source. Fox Fur Nebula is situated close to the reflection area at the bottom of the Christmas tree. Its interesting shape is formed by complex interactions of dust, light and jets of hot gas from the nearby young stars. NGC2264 is 2700 ly distant and has some 70 ly across.
|
Related images:
|
List of related images: |
NGC2264 Christmas Tree Cluster, LRGB, ST2000XM through WO ZS105ED telescope |