NGC 1909 · nebula

Witch Head Nebula

IC 2118 is an extremely faint reflection nebula believed to be an ancient supernova remnant or gas cloud illuminated by nearby supergiant star Rigel in the constellation of Orion.

RA05h 04m 55sDec−07° 15' 56"

Image: NASA/STScI Digitized Sky Survey/Noel Carboni. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Identity & coordinates

Identification

Primary designation: NGC 1909
All designations: NGC 1909 · Witch Head Nebula
Object type: Nebula
Constellation: Eridanus
Best viewing: Winter

Coordinates & physical

Right ascension (J2000): 05h 04m 55s
Declination (J2000): −07° 15' 56"
Apparent magnitude (V): —
Distance: —

III

Visibility tonight

The science

IC 2118 is an extremely faint reflection nebula believed to be an ancient supernova remnant or gas cloud illuminated by nearby supergiant star Rigel in the constellation of Orion. The nebula lies in the Eridanus Constellation, about 900 light-years from Earth. The nature of the dust particles, reflecting blue light better than red, is a factor in giving the Witch Head its blue color. Radio observations show substantial carbon monoxide emission throughout parts of IC 2118, an indicator of the presence of molecular clouds and star formation in the nebula. In fact candidates for pre-main sequence stars and some classic T Tauri stars have been found deep within the nebula.

Summary adapted from Wikipedia · CC-BY-SA-4.0