The Rosetta Nebula is a vast cloud of dust and gas, extending over an area of more than 1 degree across, or about 5 times the area covered by the full moon. It's parts have been assigned different NGC numbers: 2237, 2238, 2239, and 2246. Within the nebula, open star cluster NGC 2244 is situated, consisted of the young stars which recently formed from the nebula's material. Star formation is still in progress in this huge cloud of interstellar matter, especially in the dark knots where dust and gas is accreting; The distance to this object is approx. 5000 light years, the object spans 100 light years.
Find a wider view of the Rosette Nebula here.
Image data:
Ha-RGB (Ha 14x40m, R 8x20m, G 8x20m, B 8x20m) total 16.7 h combined. Seeing 0.8-1,2 arcsec North is down;
Processing: Johannes Schedler
80cm f/7 Astrooptik Keller corrected cassegrain, FLI Proline 16803, Baader Filters
Ha-RGB Image in 22/80% size below:
Ha Image in 22/70% size below: