A Sculpture of Gas and Dust
NGC 2174 is a massive emission nebula that surrounds the open cluster Pismis 24. The 'Monkey Head' shape is carved out by the powerful stellar winds and ultraviolet radiation from the hot, young stars within the cluster. These winds act like a cosmic chisel, eroding the surrounding clouds of hydrogen gas and leaving behind dense 'elephant trunks' or pillars of dust. These pillars are active star-forming regions where the tips are compressed by radiation, potentially triggering the birth of new solar systems.
Imaging Challenges
- • Internal Contrast: The nebula is quite bright, but the dark dust lanes are very subtle. You need to balance the highlights to avoid losing the 3D 'sculpted' look.
- • Color Variations: In narrowband, the 'face' of the monkey is rich in Sulfur (SII) and Oxygen (OIII), allowing for a very colorful SHO (Hubble Palette) rendition.
- • Resolution: The small dark 'knots' of dust throughout the nebula are excellent indicators of your tracking and focus quality.
The 'Monkey Head' is approximately the same size as the full moon in the sky, making it a perfect fit for a wide-field astrograph.