The Pelican Nebula

IC 5070

Kitt Peak National Observatory

Image Credits: Fred Calvert / Adam Block / KPNO /AURA / NSF

May 2003

The Pelican Nebula IC 5070,  is divided from the larger North America Nebula by a molecular cloud filled with dark dust. The Pelican, however, receives much study because it is a particularly active mix of star formation and evolving gas clouds. Hot hydrogen gas glows in red. The light from young energetic stars is slowly transforming the cold gas to hot gas. Millions of years from now this nebula might no longer be known as the Pelican, as the balance and placement of stars and gas will leave something that appears completely different.

 Image Position: RA: 20h 50m 56s   Dec: +44 deg  29' 17"        Apparent Magnitude 8.0      

Meade LX200 16 inch Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescope, f/10    CCD: SBIG ST8E w AO-7 Adaptive Optics System

Additional Luminance Data

20in RC Optical Systems telescope Operating at f/8.4    CCD: SBIG ST10XME CCD Camera

Exposure: LRGB   Luminance  = 80 minutes (binned 1 X 1)   Red = 15 minutes (binned 2 X 2)   Green = 15 minutes (binned 2 X 2)

                                                                                       Blue = 15 minutes (binned 2 X 2)

Image Processing:    Maxim DL    Mira AP   Adobe Photoshop 7.0

Photo of the Kitt Peak RC Optics 20 inch                                        16" Mead LX 200 Dome ( White Building)

OTHER IMAGES TO FOLLOW AS THE IMAGES ARE PROCESSED

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