IC 443 Jellyfish Nebula
Author: Rita Castilho
Date: February 2024
Location: Faro (Portugal), Bortle 5
Telescope: Askar FRA600
Camera: ZWO ASI 294 MC-Pro
Filter: Askar D1 (Ha + OIII)
Integration time: 2h 10m (26 x 300s exposures)
IC 443 Jellyfish Nebula
Author: Rita Castilho
Date: February 2024
Location: Faro (Portugal), Bortle 5
Telescope: Askar FRA600
Camera: ZWO ASI 294 MC-Pro
Filter: Askar D1 (Ha + OIII)
Integration time: 2h 10m (26 x 300s exposures)
Distance from Earth: 5,000 light-years
IC 443 is a supernova remnant—the result of a massive star's explosion about 30,000 years ago—whose debris continues to expand into space to this day.
Located in the constellation Gemini, this nebula covers an area of the sky equivalent to about 1.5 full moons, although its actual size is approximately 70 light-years.
IC 443 contains ionized gas and clouds of interstellar dust. The shock wave from the explosion interacts with this material, creating filaments and complex structures that glow intensely, particularly at wavelengths such as hydrogen-alpha (Hα).