Sharpless 2-232

Click here for a high resolution view of planetary nebula PK 173+3.1 (Pu2) in Sh 2-232 (365 Kb)

The Details
Object	Sharpless 2-232 in Auriga
Optics	Astro-Physics 160 EDF refractor at f/5.7
Platform	Astro-Physics 1200 GTO
Camera	SBIG STL-11000M
Filters	Tru-Balance 6nm Hydrogen Alpha filter
Date	02 December 2007, 05 December 2007
Location	Mount Wilson Observatory - Mount Wilson, CA
Exposure	Ha 10 x 1200 sec, 4 x 1800 sec, 1x1 bin
Software	Maxim DL/CCD, Registar, Photoshop CS3
Orientation	Field of View: 01°37'59" x 01°15'26" centered on RA 05h41m42s DEC+36°10'56" (2000.0) . North angle 0.61°; east 90° CCW from north.
Notes	Three Sharpless Catalog objects can be found in this image. The largest, Sharpless 2-232, is located to the left of center and has a prominent dark lane in its upper right quadrant. The brightest nebula, seen at a 4 o'clock position from Sh 2-232 is Sharpless 2-235. Finally, the fainter cloud to the right of Sh 2-235 is Sharpless 2-231. A small planetary nebula, PK 173+3.1 (aka Pu2), can be seen almost dead center in Sharpless 2-232. This small brightening is 20 arc-seconds in diameter and was discovered in 1980 by an astronomer named Purgathofer. To find it look at a 6:30 o'clock position from the brightest star in the center of Sh 2-232. Just to the right of a vertically oriented pair of bright stars is the planetary nebula.