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Object Name: The Cave Nebula Region
Distance: 2,400 Light Years
Magnitude: 7.7
Size: 45×50 Arc Minutes
Telescope: Borg 71
Camera: QSI683
Mount: AP1100
Exposures: L 24×300 Bin 1, R 36×180 Bin 2, G 36×180 Bin 2, B 36×180 Bin 2
This image was captured from my home in a Bortle 6 zone. I did battle with some light pollution issues but that is the way it goes when imaging from the city lights. This is a problem I have from time to time and is made worse when wide field imaging.
The Cave Nebula, also known as SH2-155 or Caldwell 9, is an emission nebula that also contains a large dark nebula and smaller reflection nebula. It is located in the constellation of Cepheus and is about 2,400 light years away. The dark nebula also known as LBN 529 forms the cave part of the nebula and its shape stands out from the contrasting emission nebula on the curved part of the cave. The source of illumination is a group of young stars called the Cepheus OB3 Association. These stars are very young at an estimated age of 100,000 years. LBN 527 is just to the right of the cave area.
To the right and slightly below the Cave nebula is LBN 524 (VdB 155). Also in this same area are dark nebula LDN 1215 and LDN 1216. On the other side of the Cave nebula and slightly below are dark nebula LDN 1218, LDN 1220, and LDN 1222.
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