IC405 – the flaming star nebula

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IC405, IC 417, M38, NGC 1893, NGC 1907, 80x120s, ISO 1600, Nikon Z6, Takahashi FS-60CB, Optolong L-enhance Filter.

The flaming star nebula IC405 is visible at the upper right in this image, it is a cloud of glowing hydrogen excited by the very hot O-type star AE Aurigae. AE Aurigae is believed to be a former member of a multiple star in the trapezium of Orion. When two binary stars got too close to each other, AE Auriga and presumably also Mu Columbae got ejected. It is now a high velocity star just passing through this gaseous region in the constellation Auriga.

Also prominently visible is the open cluster M38 in the lower left, it is accompanied by the apparently smaller, but just much furthr distant NGC1907. More glowing hydrogen gas is visible across the frame.

IC405, IC 417, M38, NGC 1893, NGC 1907, 80x120s, ISO 1600, Nikon Z6, Takahashi FS-60CB, Optolong L-enhance Filter, a starless version of the image above showing the extend of the glowing interstellar medium.