Go / no go for deep skyGo / no go for deep sky imaging
Embryo Nebula (NGC 1333)
reflection nebula in Perseus
NGC 1333 is a small blue reflection nebula in Perseus, set in a very young star-forming region. Dark clouds and glowing knots called Herbig-Haro objects, signs of newborn stars firing jets, lie within.
Save your telescope or lens on the planner to lay your camera frame over this diagram.
// Key facts
- Catalog
- NGC 1333
- Type
- reflection nebula
- Constellation
- Perseus
- Size
- 9′ across
- Brightness
- Magnitude 5.6
- Distance
- about 980 light-years
- Peak month (any location)
- Nov
- Typical prime months
- Aug to Jan
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Filter
- No filter (broadband); a UV/IR-cut or L filter is enough
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How to image Embryo Nebula
- It is a broadband target, with dust around it that responds well to long exposure.
- At 9 arcminutes, use 1,000 to 1,500 mm.
- High in the northern sky on autumn and winter evenings.
Framing: what focal length?
NGC 1333 is small, so a "60% of the frame" focal length would be impractical. Here is how much of an APS-C frame it covers at common long focal lengths; expect to crop.
| Focal length | Share of the frame width |
|---|---|
| 1,000 mm | about 11% |
| 2,000 mm | about 22% |
| 3,000 mm | about 33% |
How high does it climb from your latitude?
The highest point NGC 1333 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) | 66° | High in the sky |
| 45°N (Minneapolis, Milan) | 76° | High in the sky |
| 35°N (Los Angeles, Tokyo) | 86° | High in the sky |
| 25°N (Miami, Cairo) | 84° | High in the sky |
| 35°S (Sydney, Santiago) | 24° | Stays low |
Also worth imaging
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