The Clam Shell Nebula, officially known as NGC 2653, is a captivating celestial formation located in the constellation Camelopardalis, some 300 million light-years away from our own Milky Way galaxy. This mesmerizing nebula earned its popular moniker due to its striking resemblance to a giant clam shell gracefully unfurling in the cosmic depths. Its vivid colors and intricate, filamentous structures are the result of a tumultuous stellar birth and death cycle, where massive stars have exploded as supernovae, sculpting the surrounding gas and dust into a breathtaking display of cosmic artistry. The Clam Shell Nebula serves as a poignant reminder of the perpetual dance of destruction and creation that unfolds across the vast expanse of our universe.

Image Description and Details : The clamshell nebula in Cygnus Sh2-119 Is a large complex of emission nebulae in the constellation Cygnus. The bright star at the center is 68 Cygni, a 5th magnitude star responsible for ionizing the surrounding gas. Estimated tonbe 2200 light-years from Earth. This image is the result of 4 night during which I collected 24h of data Using ultranarrowband filter From bortle 9 backyard 96 x 300sec exposure for each filter Gain 121 tenp. -5°C 40 dark calibration files 20 flat calibration file per filter per session

Copyright: Riccardo pacini