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. Nearby, you find NGC 2261 (Hubble's Variable Nebula), which can be observed together with NGC 2264 in the Vespera.
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 2167), IC 447 (= IC 2169), NGC 2245, and NGC 2247.
Even closer, you find NGC 2261 (Hubble's Variable Nebula), which can be observed together with NGC 2264 in the Vespera. Actually, a small Vespera mosaic was the only possibility for me to find the Cone Nebula.
| NGC 2264 | Cone Nebula | IC 447 | NGC 2261 | |||
| Size: 20' (Stoyan) Distance: 2,500 light years (Stoyan) Ranking: *** (Stoyan) |
Size: 10' (Wikipedia) Distance: 2,700 light years (Wikipedia) Ranking: --- |
Size: 25' x 20' (SkySafari) Distance: ??? light years (SkySafari) Ranking: --- |
Size: 3' x 2' (Wikipedia) Distance: 2,600 light years (Wikipedia) Ranking: ** (Stoyan) |
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)
NGC 2264 in the constellation Monoceros/Unicorn, together with NGC 2261, detail (Image Courtesy of SkySafari Astronomy, www.simulationcurriculum.com)
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NGC 2264 (Monoceros), unprocessed |
Ditto, post-processed |
Ditto, post-processed and sharpened |
Confirmed using Karkoschka, Stoyan, and Stellarium.
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NGC 2264 - Mar 17, 2020 |
NGC 2264 - Mar 17, 2020 |
NGC 2264 - Mar 17, 2020 |
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NGC 2264 - Mar 17, 2020, photo above processed |
NGC 2264 - Mar 17, 2020, photo above processed |
NGC 2264 - Mar 17, 2020, photo above processed |
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NGC 2264 - Mar 7, 2021 |
NGC 2264 - Mar 8, 2021 |
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NGC 2264 - Mar 7, 2021, photo above processed |
NGC 2264 - Mar 8, 2021, photo above processed |
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NGC 2264 - Mar 20, 2022 |
NGC 2264 - Mar 20, 2022, photo left processed |
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NGC 2264, Mar 26, 2024 - original, mosaic, 2860s |
NGC 2264, Mar 26, 2024 - large, photo left processed, very poor quality |
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NGC 2264, Feb 8, 2023 - original, mosaic, 3200s |
NGC 2264, Feb 8, 2023 - large, photo left processed (denoised version) |
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Evaluation with nova.astrometry.net, unprocessed photo used |
Ditto, processed photo used |
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Section "Christmas Tree Cluster" - large, denoised, rotated |
Section "further nebulae" (upper part of the mosaic): IC446, IC 447, NGC 2245, NGC 2247 - large, denoised |
Left photo: The nebula on the left above the brightest star might be the Fox Fur Nebula.
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NGC 2264 (left) with NGC 2261 (top right), Mar 28, 2024 - original, 2250s, small mosaic, Dual Band Filter |
NGC 2264 (left) with NGC 2261 (top right), Mar 28, 2024 - large, photo left processed (PSE) |
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Ditto, photo additionally processed (DN) - large |
Ditto, photo additionally processed (DN+PSE) - large |
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NGC 2264 (left) with NGC 2261 (top right), Apr 11, 2024 - original, 4570s, small mosaic, Dual Band Filter |
NGC 2264 (left) with NGC 2261 (top right), Apr 11, 2024 - large, photo left processed (PSE) |
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Ditto, photo additionally processed (DN) - large |
Ditto, photo additionally processed (DN+PSE), poor quality - large |
