NGC 2392 is a planetary nebula in the constellation Gemini. It’s best viewed in the winter.
Backyard astronomers appreciate NGC 2392 as a planetary nebula viewable in smaller telescopes. One with a modest telescope will see a blue/green haze and a dim star in the center. The nebula is notable for looking like a person with a hood on. In reality, a dying star around 10,000 years ago started ejecting its outer layers of gas to create the surrounding nebula.
William Herschel discovered this planetary nebula in 1787.
My Observations
| Date | January 15, 2021 |
| Time | 10:41 p.m. |
| Location | Seattle, WA |
| Magnification | 145x |
| Scope | Meade 8″ SCT |
| Eyepiece | 14mm |
| Seeing | Good |
| Transparency | Average |
While I have a moonless sky tonight, my seeing are conditions are mediocre. A faint haze is appearing around the streetlamp down my driveway. Even in this condition, I’ve found the nebula with my 25mm. It looks like a dim fuzzy star. I have switched to a 14mm eyepiece and added my OIII filter. The filter makes a considerable difference! I’m now viewing a broader patch of nebulosity along with a central, yet still dim, star. The surface brightness of this astronomical object makes for a fantastic backyard target.
Key Stats
| When to view | Winter | R.A. (2021) | 7h 30m 24s |
| Constellation | Gemini | Dec (2021) | +20° 51′ 59.5″ |
| Visual Magnitude | +9.19 | Distance | 4,200 ly |
| Absolute Magnitude | -1.33 | Age | 10,000 Years |
| Apparent Size | .8 x .7 arcmin | Milky Way Locations | Orion Spur |
| Diameter | .9 ly | My Viewing Grade | A- |
Historical Observations
Coming soon.
Sources
NGC 2392 banner photo provided by NASA, ESA, Andrew Fruchter (STScI), and the ERO team (STScI + ST-ECF). This file is in the public domain because it was created by NASA and ESA.
AKA: Caldwell 39, Lion Nebula, Clown Nebula, “Eskimo”
The Garden Astronomer 