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Eskimo Nebula (NGC 2392)
planetary nebula in Gemini
The Eskimo Nebula is a planetary nebula in Gemini with a bright central star surrounded by a ring of fine filaments, which looks like a face in a fur-lined hood. It is small, so it needs a long focal length, but it is bright and rewards the effort with a dramatic round shape.
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// Key facts
- Catalog
- NGC 2392
- Also known as
- C 39, Caldwell 39
- Type
- planetary nebula
- Constellation
- Gemini
- Size
- 0.8′ across
- Brightness
- Magnitude 9.2
- Distance
- roughly 4,000 to 6,500 light-years
- Peak month (any location)
- Jan
- Typical prime months
- Oct to Mar
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Filter
- OIII or dual-band / UHC filter
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How to image Eskimo Nebula
- It is under an arcminute across, so use 1,500 mm or more and expect to crop.
- OIII or a dual-band filter improves the contrast of the outer ring.
- Steady air matters here more than for wider targets.
Framing: what focal length?
NGC 2392 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 1% |
| 2,000 mm | about 2% |
| 3,000 mm | about 3% |
How high does it climb from your latitude?
The highest point NGC 2392 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) | 56° | Workable |
| 45°N (Minneapolis, Milan) | 66° | High in the sky |
| 35°N (Los Angeles, Tokyo) | 76° | High in the sky |
| 25°N (Miami, Cairo) | 86° | High in the sky |
| 35°S (Sydney, Santiago) | 34° | Workable |
Also worth imaging
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