McNeil's Nebula
This nebula was discovered by amateur astronomer Jay McNeil in the larger nebula of M78. It is the result of the slow birth of a star about 1,500 light-years away. It is blasting gas away from itself at speeds of more than 600 kilometers per second. The birth of a star takes several tens of thousands of years and these observations are but a brief snapshot of the process. The nebula has since largely faded from view.
| Observatory: | Gemini Observatory (North) Mauna Kea, Hawai'i |
|---|---|
| Telescope: | Gemini North |
| Instrument: | GMOS-N |
| Astronomer: | C. Aspin and K. Pu'uohau-Pummill (Gemini Observatory) and T. A. Rector (University of Alaska Anchorage) |
| Date of Observation: | 02-14-2004 |
| Filters and Assigned Colors: | g (blue), r (green) and i (red) |
| Exposure Times: | |
| Location of Image: | Orion |
| Field of View: | 2.6 x 2.6 arcsminutes |
| Orientation: | |
| Link to Full Resolution Image | |
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