Photo: Nasa, StScI, Hubble Space Telescope
The picture you see here is of the Eskimo Nebula. It's a common sight at this time of year if you have a decent telescope and clear skies. Of course, what you will see in the eyepiece doesn't do justice to the image you see here. Resembling a face in a parka, the Eskimo was first catalogued by astronomer William Herschel way back in 1787. It's a beautiful nebula that shows us the outer gaseous layers that have blown off a dying star many thousands of years ago.
Star Chart by Starry Night Pro copyright IMAGINOVA
The Eskimo Nebula can be found a little below the constellation Gemini, which can be seen in the south every evening at this time of year. It's a small object that take up only about 1/50th of a degree of our sky. It can't be seen with the naked eye and is best viewed in a medium to large format telescope.
Now, if only we could get the clouds to part for us again!
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