NGC 2264 - Christmas Tree Cluster and Cone Nebula

Introduction | Map | My Own Photos | My Own Observations | References

On this page I collect my observations of the area designated as NGC 2264 in the constellation Monoceros/Unicorn. It contains the open star cluster named Christmas Tree Cluster and and a dark nebula named Cone Nebula.

 

Introduction

NGC 2264 in the constellation Monoceros describes an area consisting of a part of an H-II region* (with a dark nebula in front of it, the Cone Nebula), a star cluster (the Christmas Tree Star Cluster***) and the diffuse nebula in between.

*) This might be Sharpless 2-273, which seems to be also called Fox Fur Nebula.

**) The Cone Nebula is a dark nebula that looks like a cone.

***) The open star cluster is called Christmas Tree Cluster because it resembles a Christmas tree, which is, depending on the observation instrument, standing upright or upside down. The star cluster should be recognizable even with the naked eye.

Note: On the eVscope (2) photos you can only see a part of the Christmas Tree Cluster; that is why I was not able to identify the cluster!

In the neighborhood (Vespera mosaic), you can find the nebulae IC 446, IC 447 (= IC 1269), NGC 2245, and NGC 2247.

Size: 20' (Stoyan)
Distance: 2,500 light years (Stoyan)
Ranking: *** (Stoyan)

 

Map

NGC 2264, the Christmas Tree cluster; below it, the galactic emission nebula NGC 2237-39/46 (Rosette Nebula) and the open star cluster NGC 2244 inside the nebula (Image Courtesy of SkySafari Astronomy, www.simulationcurriculum.com)

 

My Own Photos

Atik Infinity & Explorer 150PDS (March 14, 2018)

         

NGC 2264 (Monoceros), unprocessed

 

Ditto, post-processed

 

Ditto, post-processed and sharpened

Confirmed using Karkoschka, Stoyan, and Stellarium.

eVscope

         

NGC 2264 - Mar 17, 2020

 

NGC 2264 - Mar 17, 2020

 

NGC 2264 - Mar 17, 2020

         

NGC 2264 - Mar 17, 2020, photo above processed

 

NGC 2264 - Mar 17, 2020, photo above processed

 

NGC 2264 - Mar 17, 2020, photo above processed

           

NGC 2264 - Mar 7, 2021

 

NGC 2264 - Mar 8, 2021

   
           

NGC 2264 - Mar 7, 2021, photo above processed

 

NGC 2264 - Mar 8, 2021, photo above processed

   

eVscope 2

    

NGC 2264 - Mar 20, 2022

 

NGC 2264 - Mar 20, 2022, photo left processed

Vespera

    

NGC 2264, Feb 8, 2023 - original, mosaic, 3200s

 

NGC 2264, Feb 8, 2023 - large, photo left processed (denoised version)

 

Evaluation with astrometry.net, unprocessed photo used

 

Ditto, processed photo used

 

Section "Christmas Tree Cluster" - large, denoised, rotated

 

Section "further nebulae" (upper part of the mosaic): IC446, IC 447 (= IC 2169), NGC 2245, NGC 2247 - large, denoised

 

My Own Observations

Observations February / March 2017

Observations End of March 2017

Observations April 2017

Observations March 2020

Observations March 2021

Observations March 2022

Observations February 2023

 

References

On this Site