Celestial hemisphere:  Southern  ·  Constellation: Carina (Car)  ·  Contains:  HD88863  ·  HD88878  ·  HD88879  ·  HD89140  ·  HD89756  ·  HD89802  ·  HD89859  ·  HD90074  ·  NGC 3199  ·  PK283-01.2
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The Banana Nebula (NGC 3199), Paul Lloyd
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The Banana Nebula (NGC 3199)

Getting plate-solving status, please wait...
The Banana Nebula (NGC 3199), Paul Lloyd
Powered byPixInsight

The Banana Nebula (NGC 3199)

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Description

North north west of the Great Carina Nebula (NGC 3372) lies this emission nebula at approx. 11,730ly
distant. It was first observed by James Dunlop in 1826 and is estimated to be approx. 75ly across. It is
listed in other catalogues as GUM 28 and RCW 48 and is also known by the name of the Falcated
Nebula, meaning sickle-shaped.

Its distinctive shape was originally thought to be a bow shock-wave deriving from the embedded
Wolf-Rayet star, WR 18. Recent studies, however, have discounted this. It now appears to be an eliptical
bubble of interstellar gas and dust, with an uneven distribution resulting in a dense crescent that is
illuminated by the very hot, WR star. WR 18 (HD89358) can be seen in this image but would require a
distracting arrow to point it out.

I have used a H+O triband filter here in an effort to display the nebula’s features more clearly.


Telescope: Askar 107PHQ refractor, f=750mm
Camera:     ZWO ASI294MC Pro
Exposure:  54 x 300 sec, Optolong L-eNhance filter, gain=250
                    Bortle 3-4 sky, 30% Moon waning
Field of View: approx. 1º 24’ x 1º 00’
Image processed and prepared in PixInsight and Photoshop Elements

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The Banana Nebula (NGC 3199), Paul Lloyd