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Tadpoles Nebula (IC 410)
emission nebula in Auriga
The Tadpoles Nebula is a bright emission nebula in Auriga, with two comet-like cloud tails pointing away from the open cluster NGC 1893. The tails are dense clouds of dust and gas being sculpted by the young stars. It is a fine winter target close to the Flaming Star Nebula.
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// Key facts
- Catalog
- IC 410
- Type
- emission nebula
- Constellation
- Auriga
- Size
- 40′ across
- Brightness
- Magnitude 7.5
- Distance
- about 10,000 light-years
- Peak month (any location)
- Dec
- Typical prime months
- Sep to Feb
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Filter
- Narrowband: Ha / OIII / SII, or a dual-band / UHC filter
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How to image Tadpoles Nebula
- Use 600 to 1,000 mm; the nebula is about 40 arcminutes across.
- Hydrogen-alpha shows the tadpoles with good contrast.
- It shares a field with IC 405, so you can image both on one night.
Framing: what focal length?
The focal length at which IC 410 spans about 60% of the long side of the sensor, leaving room around it. Treat it as a starting point; the right framing is a matter of taste.
| Sensor | Focal length |
|---|---|
| 1-inch sensor (13.2 mm) | about 680 mm |
| APS-C (23.5 mm) | about 1210 mm |
| Full frame (36 mm) | about 1860 mm |
How high does it climb from your latitude?
The highest point IC 410 reaches in the sky. Above about 60° is excellent, 30° to 60° is workable, and under 30° you are looking through a lot of air.
| Latitude | Highest point | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 55°N (Scotland, Alaska) | 68° | High in the sky |
| 45°N (Minneapolis, Milan) | 78° | High in the sky |
| 35°N (Los Angeles, Tokyo) | 88° | High in the sky |
| 25°N (Miami, Cairo) | 82° | High in the sky |
| 35°S (Sydney, Santiago) | 22° | Stays low |
Also worth imaging
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