Planetary nebula SH2-176 in Cassiopeia
About the Object
Sh2-176 is a very faint and relatively little-imaged evolved planetary nebula in the constellation Cassiopeia. It is believed to be the remnant shell ejected by a dying Sun-like star during the late stages of stellar evolution. Unlike compact, high-excitation planetary nebulae, Sh2-176 is highly evolved: the expelled shell has expanded and diluted over time, producing the ghostly, fragmented appearance visible in deep narrowband imaging. The bright curved arc likely traces regions where the expanding shell interacts more strongly with the surrounding interstellar medium, compressing and exciting the hydrogen gas.
Observation Notes
Data were taken on 2025 Nov 5,6,10, and 17
Technical Details
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