NGC281 The Pac-Man Nebula (HaRGB)
The so-called Pac-Man nebula (NGC 281) is a prominent and active star forming region located in the Perseus spiral arm of the Milky Way. Located approximately 10,000 light years away in the constellation Cassiopeia, the region's appearance is reminiscent of the 1980' video game icon. The region is dominated by the large, dark lane of dust that forms the mouth of the icon. The area also contains several dark spots that are know as Bok globules after the astronomer Bart Bok. Bok hypothesized that these globules act like cocoons for new stars in that they protect newly formed stars from the radiation and winds from nearby newly formed stars. Recent infrared imaging has confirmed the presence of protostars within Bok globules. Click on the links below to read Rob Gendler's excellent description of NGC 281 and to view HST's view of the region's most prominent Bok globule.
Image Details
| Target: | NGC 281, IC 1590, Sharpless 184 |
| Coordinates (Center - J2000): | RA 00h 52m 59s ; Dec +56d 37m 19s |
| Date: | 7-9 & 16 November 2007 |
| Constellation: | Cassiopeia |
| Imaging Location: | Chiefland & Indialantic, Florida |
| Camera: | SBIG ST-8XME & CFW-10 Color Filter Wheel |
| Filters: | Astrodon Series E Tru-Balance LRGB and Hydrogen-Alpha |
| Telescope: | Takahashi TSA-102S 4" APO Triplet f/8 (FL = 814mm) |
| Mount: | Takahashi EM-200 Temma II GEM (12 VDC) |
| Image Scale: | 2.28 arcseconds per pixel |
| CCD Temperature: | -20 C |
| Ha:R:G:B Exposures: | 100:50:50:50 minutes (Ha=10x600s / RGB=5x600s each) |
| Mount Control Software: | The Sky 6.0.0.52 |
| Camera Control Software: | CCDSoft 5.00.182 |
| Focus Control Software: | FocusMax 3.3.15 |
| Executive Control Software: | CCD Commander 1.4.5 |
| Sub-frame Registration Software: | Registar |
| Calibration and Combining Software: | CCDStack |
| Final Processing Software: | Photoshop CS |
Additional Information
Description of NGC 281 (By Rob Gendler): http://www.robgendlerastropics.com/NGC281text.html
Hubble Space Telescope Image of NGC 281 Bok Globule: HST Image of NGC 281 Bok Globule