ASTRO: NGC 2316-7

NGC 2316 and NGC 2317 are a pair of overlapping emission nebula in
Monoceros about 3,600 light-years from us. Some sources, SIMBAD for
example, consider NGC 2317 non existent others list NGC 2316 as the part
around the western star and NGC 2317 the part around the eastern star.
In a small telescope it does indeed seem like two little fuzz patches
around those two stars with most of the nebulae not seen. Interestingly
SIMBAD lists NGC 2316 as a "Cluster of Stars" rather than a nebula. It
uses the designation [FT96] 220.8-1.7 for the HII region and GN 06.57.2
for the reflection component. While a few visual stars that I suppose
could be called a star cluster are seen in the nebula it hides hundreds
of infra red stars. The IR cluster is listed as NAME NGC 2316 IR
CLUSTER by SIMBAD. I found an age of 2 to 3 million years for the stars
in this obscured cluster. You can read more about it at:
http://iopscience.iop.org/1538-3881/..._136_2_602.pdf .
The paper is a bit deep but some parts are readable.

This rather interesting nebula is surprisingly rarely imaged. This is
another object I failed to record why I put it on my list. It is in my
log of objects attempted with my 2.4" scope back in 1957 and only saw as
two fuzzy stars. That might have triggered my interest. I find no
other log entry that I ever looked at it. I should remedy that next winter.

This is my last 2012 image (unless there's one lost on the hard drive
someplace). Finally I'll be processing 2013 images in 2013! I have the
lousy imaging weather for all of 2013 and much of 2012 to "thank" for
reducing the backlog.

14" LX200R @ f/10, L=4x10' RGB=2x10', STL-11000XM, Paramount ME

Rick
--
Prefix is correct. Domain is arvig dot net

Funny that this nebula has two NGC numbers. Can't see two different
condensations or anything else that would lead to believe that there are two
objects.
You did very well here, especially for such a southern object. -7 degrees is
too low for me, which probably is the reason why I have never heard of this
nebula before.

Stefan

"Rick Johnson" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
...

NGC 2316 and NGC 2317 are a pair of overlapping emission nebula in
Monoceros about 3,600 light-years from us. Some sources, SIMBAD for
example, consider NGC 2317 non existent others list NGC 2316 as the part
around the western star and NGC 2317 the part around the eastern star.
In a small telescope it does indeed seem like two little fuzz patches
around those two stars with most of the nebulae not seen. Interestingly
SIMBAD lists NGC 2316 as a "Cluster of Stars" rather than a nebula. It
uses the designation [FT96] 220.8-1.7 for the HII region and GN 06.57.2
for the reflection component. While a few visual stars that I suppose
could be called a star cluster are seen in the nebula it hides hundreds
of infra red stars. The IR cluster is listed as NAME NGC 2316 IR
CLUSTER by SIMBAD. I found an age of 2 to 3 million years for the stars
in this obscured cluster. You can read more about it at:
http://iopscience.iop.org/1538-3881/..._136_2_602.pdf .
The paper is a bit deep but some parts are readable.

This rather interesting nebula is surprisingly rarely imaged. This is
another object I failed to record why I put it on my list. It is in my
log of objects attempted with my 2.4" scope back in 1957 and only saw as
two fuzzy stars. That might have triggered my interest. I find no
other log entry that I ever looked at it. I should remedy that next winter.

This is my last 2012 image (unless there's one lost on the hard drive
someplace). Finally I'll be processing 2013 images in 2013! I have the
lousy imaging weather for all of 2013 and much of 2012 to "thank" for
reducing the backlog.

14" LX200R @ f/10, L=4x10' RGB=2x10', STL-11000XM, Paramount ME

Rick
--
Prefix is correct. Domain is arvig dot net

My notes from the 50's say in my 60mm refractor I did see the two stars
each surrounded by a small puff of fuzz. Look closely, you can see the
bright ring around each of the two stars at the "top". That is all I
saw in the 60mm refractor. Though using 17" and 72" mirrors, even if
speculum, you have to think Herschel and the Earl did a lot better and
see it as one. I do need to actually put an eyepiece in a scope and
take another look at this one as it has been over 50 years since I last
looked at it with my eye. That doesn't work like it used to
unfortunately.

Rick

On 9/5/2013 5:21 PM, Stefan Lilge wrote:
Funny that this nebula has two NGC numbers. Can't see two different
condensations or anything else that would lead to believe that there are
two objects.
You did very well here, especially for such a southern object. -7
degrees is too low for me, which probably is the reason why I have never
heard of this nebula before.

Stefan

"Rick Johnson" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
...

NGC 2316 and NGC 2317 are a pair of overlapping emission nebula in
Monoceros about 3,600 light-years from us. Some sources, SIMBAD for
example, consider NGC 2317 non existent others list NGC 2316 as the part
around the western star and NGC 2317 the part around the eastern star.
In a small telescope it does indeed seem like two little fuzz patches
around those two stars with most of the nebulae not seen. Interestingly
SIMBAD lists NGC 2316 as a "Cluster of Stars" rather than a nebula. It
uses the designation [FT96] 220.8-1.7 for the HII region and GN 06.57.2
for the reflection component. While a few visual stars that I suppose
could be called a star cluster are seen in the nebula it hides hundreds
of infra red stars. The IR cluster is listed as NAME NGC 2316 IR
CLUSTER by SIMBAD. I found an age of 2 to 3 million years for the stars
in this obscured cluster. You can read more about it at:
http://iopscience.iop.org/1538-3881/..._136_2_602.pdf .
The paper is a bit deep but some parts are readable.

This rather interesting nebula is surprisingly rarely imaged. This is
another object I failed to record why I put it on my list. It is in my
log of objects attempted with my 2.4" scope back in 1957 and only saw as
two fuzzy stars. That might have triggered my interest. I find no
other log entry that I ever looked at it. I should remedy that next
winter.

This is my last 2012 image (unless there's one lost on the hard drive
someplace). Finally I'll be processing 2013 images in 2013! I have the
lousy imaging weather for all of 2013 and much of 2012 to "thank" for
reducing the backlog.

14" LX200R @ f/10, L=4x10' RGB=2x10', STL-11000XM, Paramount ME

Rick


--
Prefix is correct. Domain is arvig dot net