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Pelican Nebula (IC 5070)
emission nebula in Cygnus
The Pelican Nebula is a large emission nebula in Cygnus, separated from the North America Nebula by a band of dark dust. Bright young stars are sculpting its bird-like head and long beak from the surrounding gas.
Save your telescope or lens on the planner to lay your camera frame over this diagram.
// Key facts
- Catalog
- IC 5070
- Type
- emission nebula
- Constellation
- Cygnus
- Size
- 1.0° across
- Brightness
- Magnitude 8
- Distance
- about 2,000 light-years
- Peak month (any location)
- Aug
- Typical prime months
- May to Oct
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Filter
- Narrowband: Ha / OIII / SII, or a dual-band / UHC filter
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How to image Pelican Nebula
- A dual-band or Ha filter brings out its structure. Both the Pelican and the North America Nebula fit in a frame of about 5 degrees.
- At 60 arcminutes, 250 to 500 mm frames it well.
- Cygnus is high in the summer and autumn sky.
Framing: what focal length?
The focal length at which IC 5070 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 450 mm |
| APS-C (23.5 mm) | about 810 mm |
| Full frame (36 mm) | about 1240 mm |
How high does it climb from your latitude?
The highest point IC 5070 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) | 79° | High in the sky |
| 45°N (Minneapolis, Milan) | 89° | High in the sky |
| 35°N (Los Angeles, Tokyo) | 81° | High in the sky |
| 25°N (Miami, Cairo) | 71° | High in the sky |
| 35°S (Sydney, Santiago) | 11° | Stays low |
Also worth imaging
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