IC 5148 Lum HaOIII RGB

This beautiful object is catalogued as IC 5148, also known as the "Spare Tire Nebula". It is a planetary nebula located in the constellation Grus, approximately 3,000 light-years from Earth. This nebula, discovered in 1894 by Australian astronomer Walter Gale, is notable for its near-spherical shape and its relatively fast expansion rate of about 50 kilometers per second, making it one of the fastest-expanding planetary nebulae known.

Here are some key characteristics of IC 5148:

1.Shape and Structure: The nebula has a distinct, ring-like appearance, resembling a "spare tire" due to its nearly perfect roundness. The core is denser with bright rims, while the outer layers are more diffuse. It exhibits a strikingly symmetrical, bubble-like form, a result of the expanding shell of ionized gas.

2.Composition: IC 5148, like other planetary nebulae, consists mainly of ionized hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. The central star has shed its outer layers, which are now illuminated by the intense ultraviolet radiation from the hot, dying core. This ionization gives the nebula its characteristic glow in the visible spectrum, with hues often appearing in pinks and greens when observed through telescopes.

3.Central Star: The nebula’s core is a white dwarf—a remnant of the original star that once occupied this region. The central star's intense radiation energizes the surrounding gases, causing them to fluoresce.

4.Expansion and Evolution: IC 5148's rapid expansion indicates it is a relatively young planetary nebula, which means it was only recently formed in astronomical terms, possibly a few thousand years ago. Over time, the nebula will continue to expand and dissipate into space.

IC 5148’s structure and symmetry make it an attractive object of study, especially for understanding the life cycles of stars similar to the Sun, as planetary nebulae represent a late stage in stellar evolution before a star cools to become a white dwarf.

 

Instruments:

 

Telescope: 10" Ritchey-Chrétien RCOS

Camera: SBIG STL-11000 Mono

Mount: Astro-Physics AP-900

Focal Length: 2310.00 mm

Pixel size: 9.00 um

Resolution: 0.82 arcsec/pix

 

Exposures:

 

Lum 41 X 600 Bin 1

Red 20 X 380 Bin 2

Green 24 X 380 Bin 2

Blue 24 X 380 Bin 2

Ha 24 X 1200 Bin 1

OIII 24 X 1200 Bin 2

 

Total Exposure: 30 Hours

 

Thanks for looking

 

Done