NGC 2020 & NGC 2014 (aka Henize 55)

CLUSTERS WITH NEBULOSITY IN THE LMC

(ra: 05h 33' 14"/ dec -67º 42')

January 2013, -  Camping La Porteña, Areco, Buenos Aires - Argentina

DATA

TYPE: Cluster associated with nebulosity

APPARENT MAGNITUDE: NGC 2014 8 NGC 2020 N/A

APPARENT DIAMETER: NGC 2020 2 arc minutes, NGC 2014 1.8 arc minutes

DISTANCE: 179 k light years

IMAGE INFORMATION

SCOPE: AT RC 8" Astrograph Ritchie Chrétien 

CAMERA: QSI 583 WS

GUIDING: Off Axis / SX LodeStar / PHD Guiding

FILTERS: Baader LRGB Set

SKY CONDITIONS: Rural Skies.

EXPOSURES: LRGB (60,30,30,30) - RGB bin 2x2

OBJECT DESCRIPTION AND IMAGE SESSION

NGC 2014 (Henize 55) is a cluster of hot, young stars, almost hidden in the brightest part of the nebula. The energetic ultraviolet light from these stars is absorbed by hydrogen and produces the distinctive red glow from an enormous distance around the cluster. As well as radiating strongly in ultraviolet light (a result of their high temperature) massive young stars also produce vigorous stellar winds. Eventually they will disperse the hydrogen around them, evacuating a bubble-like nebula. To the top of the main cluster a single star has begun this process, creating a strange hollow shape. (*)

(*) Australian Astronomical Observatory