NGC 2261 • Hubble's Variable Nebula

Image Description and Details : This is the first time processing an image in over a couple months. It has been a horrible winter, like I am sure for many out there. This is also the first broadband image I have captured in over a year, as I typically do mostly narrowband given my light pollution. I know it changes in a matter of weeks and probably could of gotten it a bit shaper if I had more clear nights. I also wanted to capture a lot more RGB, but focusing mostly on the detail of the luminance. 

The star R Monocerotis has lit up a nearby cloud of gas and dust, but the shape and brightness slowly changes visibly even in small telescopes over weeks and months, and the nebula looks like a small comet.

One explanation proposed for the variability is that dense clouds of dust near R Mon periodically block the illumination from the star. This casts a temporary shadow on the nearby clouds.

Copyright: © Douglas J Struble