- NGC 1893 and IC 410
NGC 1893 is an open cluster and associated emission nebula located in the constellation Auriga. The nebula part of this object is referred to as IC 410. The cluster has a visual magnitude of 7.5 and covers an area around 11 arc-min across. It lies at a distance of around 3280 LY.
This object resides in the central portion of Auriga along with a collection of other notable clusters (like M 36 and M 38) and nebulas. While I acquired both Hα and Hβ images of this object, the emissions in Hβ are weak compared to the Hα emissions. Thus, the nebula glows deep red with the Hα emissions at a wavelength of 656.3 nm. Several small dark nebulas drift across the face of the emission nebula.
What I think is particularly interesting about this nebula are the two brighter, sinuous features located just to the lower left of the central group of stars. To me, they look like two snakes slithering across the face of the nebula— the right one even has prominent eyes! They show up really well in the Hα image. Maybe this object should be called "Snakes on a Nebula."
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