Tadpoles Nebula (IC 410) & NGC 1893 (Open Cluster) in Auriga
The Tadpoles Nebula
On the eastern border of the Flying Minnow Asterism resides the Tadpoles Nebula (IC 410).
I was surprised by how much detail I could see in the nebula with the 6-inch refractor under
suburban skies. The emission nebula is fueled by the young stars of NGC 1893. The nebula
proper responded well with nebula filters. With a little work, the southern dark gap in the
nebula could be seen. The Tadpoles Nebula, to me, was a more pleasing view than the more
well-known Flaming Star Nebula located just on the other side of the Flying Minnow Asterism.
The two nebulae can easily be observed on the same night and make interesting nebulae to
compare.
The Nebula is named, from two tadpole-shaped spots each around 10 light years in length.
These tadpole-like spots are new stars in the process of being born. The two spots are not
visible in my telescope.
Open Cluster NGC 1893 contains at least 270 stars and, at 3 million years old, is considered
one of the youngest clusters visible to amateur astronomers.
Another open cluster, Dolidze 18, is also shown in the drawing. It was not very impressive in
my scope at the power I used to draw the Tadpoles Nebula and would likely not have noticed
it had I not known of its existence.
I was surprised by how much detail I could see in the nebula with the 6-inch refractor under
suburban skies. The emission nebula is fueled by the young stars of NGC 1893. The nebula
proper responded well with nebula filters. With a little work, the southern dark gap in the
nebula could be seen. The Tadpoles Nebula, to me, was a more pleasing view than the more
well-known Flaming Star Nebula located just on the other side of the Flying Minnow Asterism.
The two nebulae can easily be observed on the same night and make interesting nebulae to
compare.
The Nebula is named, from two tadpole-shaped spots each around 10 light years in length.
These tadpole-like spots are new stars in the process of being born. The two spots are not
visible in my telescope.
Open Cluster NGC 1893 contains at least 270 stars and, at 3 million years old, is considered
one of the youngest clusters visible to amateur astronomers.
Another open cluster, Dolidze 18, is also shown in the drawing. It was not very impressive in
my scope at the power I used to draw the Tadpoles Nebula and would likely not have noticed
it had I not known of its existence.