Snowman Nebula

Astrophotography
Written By Daniel Hall

SH2-302, commonly known as the Snowman Nebula, is an emission nebula located in the constellation Puppis, approximately 5,800 to 6,000 light-years from Earth. It is an H II region with a visual diameter of about 15 arc minutes (or ~36 light-years) and is part of the larger Gum Nebula complex.

  • Ionisation Source: The nebula is ionised by the open cluster Bochum 5, particularly the O9.5 V star HD 59986.

  • Appearance: It features a distinctive dark band traversing its structure, resembling a scarf around the "neck" of a snowman.

  • Adjacent Objects: It is often imaged alongside the small blue reflection nebula VdB 97 and the open cluster NGC 2409.

  • Other Designations: It is also cataloged as RCW 7 and Gum 6.

Observed for 30 hours with the Vespera II.

Daniel Hall
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Cat’s Paw and Lobster Nebulae