Thor’s Helmet, NGC 2359, IC 468
This image was obtained with the wide-field view of the Mosaic camera on the KPNO 0.9m-meter telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory. Informally known as ‘Thor’s Helmet’, NGC 2359 (IC 468) is a giant bubble that is being blown off of the Wolf-Rayet star HD 56925. Wolf-Rayet stars are extremely massive stars that are very hot and luminous. Their intense energy blows off the outer layers, causing the bubble shape seen here. The complex shape of the bubble is due to its interaction with dust and gas in which the star is embedded. The image was generated with observations in Hydrogen alpha (orange), Oxygen [OIII] (blue) and Sulfur [SII] (violet) filters. In this image, North is left, East is down.
Credit:T.A. Rector (University of Alaska Anchorage) and NOIRLab/NSF/AURA
About the Image
| Id: | noao-ic468 |
| Type: | Observation |
| Release date: | June 30, 2020, 9:34 p.m. |
| Size: | 2350 x 2718 px |
About the Object
| Name: | IC 468, NGC 2359, Thor’s Helmet |
| Constellation: | Canis Major |
| Category: | Nebulae |
Coordinates
| Position (RA): | 7 19 9.92 |
| Position (Dec): | -13° 15' 23.01" |
| Field of view: | 16.64 x 19.08 arcminutes |
| Orientation: | North is 89.8° left of vertical |
Colors & filters
| Band | Wave-length | Tele-scope |
|---|---|---|
| Optical Sll | 672 nm | WIYN 0.9-meter Telescope Mosaic I |
| Optical Olll | 499 nm | WIYN 0.9-meter Telescope Mosaic I |
| Optical Ha | 656 nm | WIYN 0.9-meter Telescope Mosaic I |