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Gabriela Mistral Nebula (NGC 3324)
emission nebula in Carina
The Gabriela Mistral Nebula is a bright emission nebula in the Carina region, next to the Carina Nebula. It has a dramatic shape that is often called the Southern Pillars. It is a deep southern target, so most northern observers cannot see it at all.
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// Key facts
- Catalog
- NGC 3324
- Type
- emission nebula
- Constellation
- Carina
- Size
- 16′ across
- Brightness
- Magnitude 6.7
- Distance
- about 8,000 light-years
- Peak month (any location)
- Feb
- Typical prime months
- Dec to May
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Filter
- Narrowband: Ha / OIII / SII, or a dual-band / UHC filter
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How to image Gabriela Mistral Nebula
- It sits near the Carina Nebula, so a wide frame of 1 to 2 degrees can hold both.
- Hydrogen-alpha and OIII show its structure well.
- It never rises above the horizon north of about 31 degrees north, so it needs a far-southern site.
Framing: what focal length?
NGC 3324 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 20% |
| 2,000 mm | about 40% |
| 3,000 mm | about 59% |
How high does it climb from your latitude?
The highest point NGC 3324 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) | below horizon | Never rises |
| 45°N (Minneapolis, Milan) | below horizon | Never rises |
| 35°N (Los Angeles, Tokyo) | below horizon | Never rises |
| 25°N (Miami, Cairo) | 6° | Stays low |
| 35°S (Sydney, Santiago) | 66° | High in the sky |
Also worth imaging
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