Click here for full resolution image
The data for this image were taken by Don Goldman, whom I thank for authorizing me to process (and upload) this image. Don was awarded, for this image, the Webb Deep-Sky Society’s Picture of the Month, in February 2018.
This planetary nebula was discovered in 1983. After its discovery, there has been some discussion about its classification as planetary or having a different origin. D. J. Frew et al., brought back in 2012 its classification as “true planetary” and determined (together with over a thousand more nebulae) its Ha flux.
This image was taken with narrowband filters (bicolor) and mapped to natural color. Don is right when he emphasizes its resemblance with another (brighter) nebula: NGC 2359. To compare, see NGC 2359’s image here. NGC 2359 is not a planetary, but an emission nebula, fueled by a massive Wolf Rayet star.
Additional Information
Object
Name(s): HFG 2
Type: Planetary Nebula
RA: 07h 42m 24s
Dec: -32º 47’ 45”
Constellation: Puppis
Size (arcmin): 3×2.5
Magnitude: +16
Distance: 6,000 ly
Image
Date: 2017-12-06 thru 2017-12-14
Location: iTelescope.net, SSO near Coonabarabran, NSW Australia
Size (arcmin): 36×32
Telescope: Planewave CDK 20” f/6.8
Camera: SBIG STX16803 (4096x4096pix)
Guiding: Astrodon MonsterMOAG off-axis guider
Total exposure: 20 hours (Ha: 8.5 h; OIII: 9 h; RGB: 2.5 h)
Processing: CCDStack, Photoshop CC 2018