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RCW 42 (AKA GUM 26)

GIANT HII REGION IN VELA (THE SAILS)

(Image centered at: ra 09 h: 26 m / dec -51º 59')

CLICK THE IMAGE FOR A HIGH RESOLUTION VIEW

July 2025, Home Backyard in Martinez, Buenos Aires, Argentina

DATA

TYPE: HII Region

APPARENT SIZE: 15 arc minutes

APPARENT MAGNITUDE (V): NA

DISTANCE: 20.000 light years

IMAGE INFORMATION

INSTRUMENT: 6" ORION OPTICS UK (Ultra Grade Optics) w/Sky Watcher Coma Corrector (0.9x) working at at f4.5

CAMERA: QHY 183 MONO

MOUNT: SKY WATCHER NEQ6, OAG QHY 5II

FILTERS: OPTOLONG LRGB Set + Antlia Ha 3 nm; OIII nm

SKY CONDITIONS: urban skies - Bortle 8

EXPOSURES: LHAO3RGB (45,60,60,45,45,45)

OBJECT DESCRIPTION AND IMAGE SESSION

RCW 42 is a giant HII Region, which is also called Gum 26, contains the deeply embedded infrared cluster [DBS2003] 38. It lies at the western edge of the immense galactic chimney GSH 277+00+36. Unfortunately there is not much information on RCW 42 which is unusual, given that its status as a giant H II region suggesting that it is one of the greatest and largest regions of star formation in the Milky Way.

RCW 42 is observed in the central-southern part of the constellation, about 2° north of the star κ Velorum, which is part of the asterism of the False Cross.