Showing posts with label NGC 2359. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NGC 2359. Show all posts

Saturday, October 29, 2011

NGC 2359


NGC 2359 is an emission nebula in the constellation Canis Major. The nebula is approximately 15,000 light-years away and 30 light years in size. Known as a Wolf-Rayet star, the central star is an extremely hot giant thought to be in a brief, pre-supernova stage of evolution. It is similar in nature to the Bubble Nebula, interactions with a nearby large molecular cloud are thought to have contributed to the more complex shape and curved bow-shock structure of Thor's Helmet.
It is also Sharpless catalog Sh2-298 and Gum catalog 4.