The IC 5070 emission nebula, a “Pelican” in the night sky
Well known for its peculiar shape, the IC 5070 emission nebula, aka “Pelican”, really stands out in this image we are pleased to share.
IC 5070, the “Pelican” emission nebula: H-alpha image.
The image above comes from the sigma-clipping combination of 12, 120-second exposures, remotely taken with the ARTEC250+Paramount ME+C3Pro61000EC robotic unit available as part of the Virtual Telescope Project facility in Manciano, Italy, under the darkest skies of the Italian peninsula.
Located in the constellation Cygnus, IC 5070 is part of the same complex molecular cloud as the famous “North America” nebula (NGC 7000), with which it also shares its estimated distance, about 1,800 light-years from Earth. For its unique shape, this cloud is nicknamed “Pelican”.
The nebula is a classic example of an H II region, where intense ultraviolet radiation emitted by young massive stars ionizes the hydrogen in the interstellar medium, causing it to glow in the characteristic H-alpha band, isolated here by the filter used for this image. The dark areas are dense clouds of dust that block visible light, but within them, protostars in the process of formation may be hidden.
The image is the result of careful processing of several exposures, combined to maximize the signal-to-noise ratio and bring out the finest details.
Observing IC 5070 means witnessing, in real time, the cosmic cycle of matter in the universe: from cloud to collapse, from stars to the radiation that shapes thier stellar cradle.
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