Pelican Nebula
October 14, 2009
Photographer: Charles Lillo
Summary Author: Charles Lillo; Jim Foster
The image above showing the Pelican Nebula (also known as IC5070 and IC5067) was acquired from my backyard, due west of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The nebula resembles a magenta colored pelican, if you have a good imagination – its bill is at left and its eye is to right of the bright star (far right). This emission nebula is approximately 2,000 light years away in a region of glowing, low density gas and plasma (H II region), associated with the brighter North America Nebula in the constellation of Cygnus the Swan. Both nebulae are part of the same huge star-forming region, nearly 1,500 light years from each other, separated by molecular clouds (absorption clouds). Image acquired on September 24, 2009.
Photo details: 2 hours of exposure, collected at 8 minute intervals and then stitched together.