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Emission Nebula

Monkey Head Nebula – Sharpless 252

The Monkey Head Nebula is an emission nebula located in the constellation Orion, approximately 3,200 light-years away from Earth, reaching its annual culmination at astronomical midnight at the end of December.

The Monkey Head Nebula, also known as NGC 2174, is a star-forming region where new stars are being born at a rapid rate. It is illuminated by a massive young star at its center, HD 42088, which ionizes the surrounding gas, resulting in the nebula’s distinctive colors. Dark dust streams among the glowing cosmic cloud give the nebula its ape-like appearance, making it one of many nebulae that resemble animals. The nebula is associated with the open star cluster NGC 2175 and is a popular target for astrophotographers due to its unique shape and intricate details.

Names and Catalog numbers

  • Monkey Head Nebula
  • NGC 2174
  • Sh2-252

Position and the cosmic neighborhood

The Monkey Head Nebula can be found near the extremity of the Orion constellation, close to the borders of Gemini and Auriga. It is located by Orion’s raised hand, reaching for an arrow. Unlike the Orion Nebula and the Horsehead Nebula, NGC 2174 is not part of either of Orion’s two large molecular clouds. The nebula shares its celestial neighborhood with the open star cluster NGC 2175, which is embedded within its gases.

Nice to Know

  • The Monkey Head Nebula was featured in the 24th Hubble anniversary images in 2014.
  • It contains a young open star cluster with about 800 members, 86% of which still have circumstellar disks.
  • The nebula has been imaged by various telescopes, including ESO’s VISTA and NASA’s WISE, providing stunning views at different wavelengths.
  • X-ray observations with the Chandra X-ray Observatory have revealed several hundred young stars emitting high-energy radiation within the nebula.

Brightness, distance and size

The Monkey Head Nebula has an apparent magnitude of 6.8, making it a challenging but rewarding target for astrophotographers. It is located approximately 3,200 light-years away from Earth, which is about five times the distance of the Orion Nebula. The nebula has a physical diameter of about 6 light-years. In terms of apparent size, NGC 2174 appears larger than the full moon in the night sky, spanning approximately 40 arcminutes, which makes it an excellent subject for both wide-field and close-up astrophotography.

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