#sh2-248

IC 443 is commonly called “The Jellyfish Nebula” due to its appearance. It is a “Supernova Remnant”, that is, the remains of a star that violently exploded 5,000 to 30,000 years ago. The spherical shape suggests that the explosion is still in progress, originating from the centre.

It resides about 5,000 light-years distance and is approximately 70 light-years in diameter. It is far too faint to be visible unaided, but, if it were, it would appear larger than the full moon.

The spherical blast wave from the explosion is thrusting (above) into the residing cloud of dust and gas in this galactic region. Below it, the blast wave is being absorbed by another smaller galactic cloud.

The Jellyfish Nebula is a favorite target for both amateurs and professionals. However, its history is still perplexing, debated.

I photographed the Jellyfish Nebula from my garden in Strasbourg France in mid-February 2024. 45 x 300 sec.