NGC 2261, Hubble's Variable Nebula

This image of Hubble's Variable Nebula in the constellation of Monoceros was taken with the Kitt Peak National Observatory's 0.9-meter telescope in March 1995. This deep version of the image shows the faint tail extending down to the south from the nebula. To the north, almost directly above the nebula, is a cluster of faint red dots comprising the Herbig Haro object known as HH39. This object shows strong emission lines, especially those of hydrogen and nitrogen (which provide the red color), and gets its energy from a strong outflow, or jet, emitted by R Monocerotis, which is the young star at the southern end of NGC2261. A shallower realization shows the interior details of the nebula.