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Created page with "{{Night Sky | image = | designation =NGC 1909<br/>IC 2118 | rightascension =05<sup>h</sup> 02<sup>m</sup> 00<sup>s</sup><ref name=constellation-guide>[http:..."
{{Night Sky
| image =
| designation =[[NGC]] 1909<br/>IC 2118
| rightascension =05<sup>h</sup> 02<sup>m</sup> 00<sup>s</sup><ref name=constellation-guide>[http://www.constellation-guide.com/witch-head-nebula-ic-2118/ Witch Head Nebula – IC 2118] from constellation-guide.com</ref>
| declination =-07° 54′ 00″<ref name=constellation-guide/>
| distance =1,000 ly<ref name=constellation-guide/>
| constellation =Eridanus
| type =Reflection nebula
| dimensions =3° x 1°
| magnitude =Apparent Mag: +13<ref name=constellation-guide/><br/>Absolute Mag: +6<ref>From definition of absolute magnitude, using apparent magnitude (+13) and distance (1,000 ly) given here.</ref>
| redshift =
| radvelocity =
| propmotion =
| parallax =
}}
The '''Witch Head nebula''' (NGC 1909, IC 2118) is a [[reflection nebula]] in the [[constellation]] of [[Eridanus]].<ref name=constellation-guide/> Named for its resemblance to the profile of a [[witch]], it is unusual for a reflection nebula in that it reflects the light of a single [[star]], the star [[Rigel]] (Beta Orionis) in [[Orion]]. The Witch Head nebula cannot be seen with the naked eye as it is too faint, but can be located with a [[telescope]] to be 2.6 degrees west of Rigel. In fact, it is so faint that it was discovered photographically in 1909 by Max Wolf.<ref name=constellation-guide/> The nebula has also appeared in works of [[science fiction]], notably the tv series ''Andromeda''.
==Properties and Structure==
Sources suggest the nebula is situated 800-1,000 [[light year]]s from [[Earth]].<ref name=apod>[https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap151030.html The Witch Head Nebula] from apod.nasa.gov</ref> This means its apparent dimensions of a couple of degrees mean is is roughly 50-70 light years across.<ref name=apod/> The nebula appears blue as it reflects the light of the [[supergiant|blue supergiant]] [[Rigel]]. The dust contained within the nebula scatters blue light more efficiently than red, enhancing this. This scattering is similar in nature to why the sky appears blue here on Earth.
[[Radio waves|Radio observations]] of the nebula have shown that it contains [[carbon monoxide]].<ref name=constellation-guide/> Six [[star]]s have been observed in the nebula, mainly T-Tauri stars, through observations made in the [[infrared]] using [[NASA]]'s Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer.<ref>[https://www.sciencesource.com/archive/IC-2118--Witch-Head-Nebula-SS2585316.html IC 2118, Witch Head Nebula] from sciencesource.com</ref> These T-Tauri stars are a type of [[variable star]], that have a mass less that twice that of the [[Sun]] but a greater radius resulting in them being significantly brighter. The appearance of the nebula is likely due to strong [[stellar wind]]s produced by nearby luminous stars.<ref>[https://www.eso.org/public/unitedkingdom/images/witchhead-ch17-bardon-cc/ Witch Head Nebula] from eso.org</ref> One of the stars may possess a an orbiting "ring of gas and dust" and [[planet]]s.
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Nebulae}}
[[Category:Astronomy]]
[[Category:Nebulae]]
| image =
| designation =[[NGC]] 1909<br/>IC 2118
| rightascension =05<sup>h</sup> 02<sup>m</sup> 00<sup>s</sup><ref name=constellation-guide>[http://www.constellation-guide.com/witch-head-nebula-ic-2118/ Witch Head Nebula – IC 2118] from constellation-guide.com</ref>
| declination =-07° 54′ 00″<ref name=constellation-guide/>
| distance =1,000 ly<ref name=constellation-guide/>
| constellation =Eridanus
| type =Reflection nebula
| dimensions =3° x 1°
| magnitude =Apparent Mag: +13<ref name=constellation-guide/><br/>Absolute Mag: +6<ref>From definition of absolute magnitude, using apparent magnitude (+13) and distance (1,000 ly) given here.</ref>
| redshift =
| radvelocity =
| propmotion =
| parallax =
}}
The '''Witch Head nebula''' (NGC 1909, IC 2118) is a [[reflection nebula]] in the [[constellation]] of [[Eridanus]].<ref name=constellation-guide/> Named for its resemblance to the profile of a [[witch]], it is unusual for a reflection nebula in that it reflects the light of a single [[star]], the star [[Rigel]] (Beta Orionis) in [[Orion]]. The Witch Head nebula cannot be seen with the naked eye as it is too faint, but can be located with a [[telescope]] to be 2.6 degrees west of Rigel. In fact, it is so faint that it was discovered photographically in 1909 by Max Wolf.<ref name=constellation-guide/> The nebula has also appeared in works of [[science fiction]], notably the tv series ''Andromeda''.
==Properties and Structure==
Sources suggest the nebula is situated 800-1,000 [[light year]]s from [[Earth]].<ref name=apod>[https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap151030.html The Witch Head Nebula] from apod.nasa.gov</ref> This means its apparent dimensions of a couple of degrees mean is is roughly 50-70 light years across.<ref name=apod/> The nebula appears blue as it reflects the light of the [[supergiant|blue supergiant]] [[Rigel]]. The dust contained within the nebula scatters blue light more efficiently than red, enhancing this. This scattering is similar in nature to why the sky appears blue here on Earth.
[[Radio waves|Radio observations]] of the nebula have shown that it contains [[carbon monoxide]].<ref name=constellation-guide/> Six [[star]]s have been observed in the nebula, mainly T-Tauri stars, through observations made in the [[infrared]] using [[NASA]]'s Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer.<ref>[https://www.sciencesource.com/archive/IC-2118--Witch-Head-Nebula-SS2585316.html IC 2118, Witch Head Nebula] from sciencesource.com</ref> These T-Tauri stars are a type of [[variable star]], that have a mass less that twice that of the [[Sun]] but a greater radius resulting in them being significantly brighter. The appearance of the nebula is likely due to strong [[stellar wind]]s produced by nearby luminous stars.<ref>[https://www.eso.org/public/unitedkingdom/images/witchhead-ch17-bardon-cc/ Witch Head Nebula] from eso.org</ref> One of the stars may possess a an orbiting "ring of gas and dust" and [[planet]]s.
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Nebulae}}
[[Category:Astronomy]]
[[Category:Nebulae]]