IC 2118 Witch Head Nebula
Author: Eduardo Piñas
Date: December 21–29, 2024
Location: Herguijuela - Cáceres (Spain), Bortle 4
Telescope: SkyWatcher 150PDS
Camera: Omegon Pro veTEC571c
Integration time: 23h 30m
Filters: Optolong L-QEF and SvBony SV220
IC 2118 Witch Head Nebula
Author: Eduardo Piñas
Date: December 21–29, 2024
Location: Herguijuela - Cáceres (Spain), Bortle 4
Telescope: SkyWatcher 150PDS
Camera: Omegon Pro veTEC571c
Integration time: 23h 30m
Filters: Optolong L-QEF and SvBony SV220
Distance: 850–900 light-years from Earth.
IC 2118 is a faint reflection nebula located in the constellation Orion. Its elongated, irregular shape resembles a witch's profile, which gave rise to its common name. This nebula does not emit its own light; instead, it reflects light from the bright star Rigel, which illuminates its delicate clouds of interstellar dust. IC 2118 is a fascinating example of how starlight can reveal subtle structures within the interstellar medium.