NGC 2122
NGC 2122 is a diffuse nebula and an open cluster in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), visible in the constellation Mensa. It was discovered by James Dunlop in 1826.
The nebula, N180B, is an active star-forming region, containing some of the brightest known clusters. These clusters are known as OB associations because they are formed by hot stars of spectral type O and B. The stars of type O are very luminous and have incredibly strong stellar winds. These stellar winds have the ability to drain the gas over hundreds of light years, forming thick clouds of dust, both of which are evident in N180B. Think of it as a new star-forming region and there has never been a supernova explosion.
N180B is an H II region (ionized hydrogen gas region). There are 100-year-long light streamers of dust that run along the H II region, according to smaller dust clouds. If the pressure of the interstellar gas is high, the star formation could take place in these small clouds of dust.
Technical Details
- Object: NGC 2122
- Other Names: --
- Object Type: Emission nebula and open cluster in the Large Magellanic Cloud
- Object Data: Apparent Magnitude = 10.4, Angular Size = 5 arc-minutes
- Object Position (Equinox 2000): RA= 5h 49m, Dec= -70° 04´, Constellation Mensa>
- Date: 2021 Feb 21 - Feb 24 (4 nights)
- Location: Chile Remote Observatory, Observatorio El Sauce, Chile
- Partnership: Operated in partnership with David Churchill
- Telescope: Planewave CDK-17 (with Focal Reducer: f/4.5; FL = 1945mm)
- Camera: QHY 16200A with Integral 7-position Filter Wheel
- Mount: Astro-Physics 1600GTO
- Guider: Agena Starguide II / SBIG STi
- Sub-Exposures: Astronomik Filters
- H-Alpha (6nm):66 x 10 min = 660 min - Total Exposure: 11h 00m
- File Name: NGC2122-CDK21Ha-C01.jpg
- Field of View: 38.9' x 58.3' at 0.64 arc-sec/pixel
- Original Image Size: 3630 x 4540 pixels (16.5 MP); 12.1" x 15.1" @ 300 dpi
- Data Acquisition: David Churchill
- Image Processing: Fred Espenak
- Maxim DL: Image Calibration, Stacking, Digital Development Processing
- Adobe Camera Raw: Noise Reduction
- Photoshop CC: Curves, Levels - Copyright: Fred Espenak