In 1959 this nebula was catalogued in the Sharpless2-catalogue-edition.It is part of the much larger IC2177 (Sh2-296) Seagull Nebula in the constellation of Canis Major:

http://astro-cabinet.com/uploaded/hires/IC2177-120mHa-90mRGB-HR.jpg

at the right side.

It is part of the star-formation-region Can.Maj.OB1,centered exactly on SH2-297.It shows up to 100 young stellar objects (YSO) in the far infrared spectral region,centered exactly on SH2-297.

The real distance to us is about 4000 light-years

position (epoch 2000):

Ra.: 07h 05m 13.0s
Decl.: -12° 19′ 00″

image data:

RHaGBOIII (140-320-140-140-320)min),a total of 17.7 hours

80cm f/7 AstroOptik Keller corrected cassegrain

FLI Proline 16803 Astrodon LRGB Gen-II filters

Prompt 7 CTIO/UNC Chile,remote controlled

image processing: Bernd Flach-Wilken

in this squared 21.8´arc-min.wide field in Canis Major you see Sh2_297 ,also named Sharpless 297

For full resolution click HERE