Psychedelic Nebula (Simeis 188) + Minkowski 1-41

Simeis 188: Psychedelic Nebula. Starforming region in Sagittarius with IC 1274, IC 4685, NGC 6559 and B 303; Takahashi TOA 150/1100 APO-Refraktor @ f/5.6 (TOA-645 Reducer); SBIG STL-11000M; Astro-Physics 1200GTO; 60x5 min -25 °C; Namibia, Tivoli Southern Sky Guest Farm, 1360 m AMSL; © 30. 8. 2016 Manuel Jung

History

The brightest part of this nebula was first sighted by John Herschel on 1 July 1826 using his reflecting telescope with 18.3 inch aperture and 20 feet focal length. In his «Slough Catalogue» of 1833 he listed it as h 1996 and noted: «Several stars affected with nebulosity: The brightest taken.» [466] On 27 June 1837 observing from South Africa he listed the same nebula as h 3733 and noted: «Very faint, large, oblong, 5' long, 3' broad, place of a double star involved; 6 other stars nearby. Query if involved.» [11] In his «General catalogue» of 1864 he listed the nebula as GC 4384 and wrote: «very faint, very large, little extended, double star involved.» [467] In 1888 John L. E. Dreyer then added the nebula as NGC 6559 to his well known «New General Catalogue». [313]

On 25 June 1892 Edward Emerson Barnard took a photograph of that region and discovered two more nebulae which were added as IC 1274 and IC 1275 by John L. E. Dreyer in 1895 to his first «Index Catalogue». [314] On 27 June 1895 Barnard took again a photograph and identified two more nebulae: IC 4684 and IC 4685. In 1905 he also found IC 4681. [315] Later Barnard identified also several dark nebulae. [239, 609]

In 1952 the Russian astronomers Grigory Abramovich Shajn and Vera Fedorovna Gaze worked at the Simeiz Observatory in Crimea. They were probably the first ones to realize that the NGC and IC objects are all connected in a large complex: «Four distinct nebulae stand out against the background of S188: IC1274, IC1275, IC4685 and NGC6559.» Later this nebula complex referred to as Simeis (or Simeiz) 188, not to be confused with Sharpless catalogue. [402]

Stewart Sharpless searched in the 1950-ies the photo plates of the «Palomar Observatory Sky Survey» made with the 48 inch Schmidt telescope and identified these objects as one big nebula complex that appeared to be connected to nearby Messier 8. The nebula was cataloged in 1959 as Sh 2-29 (40' diameter), Sh 2-31 (8' diameter) and Sh 2-32 (8' diameter). [310]

The Canadian astronomer Sidney van den Bergh searched the photo plates of the «Palomar Observatory Sky Survey» (POSS) in 1966 and identified the reflection nebulae vdB 115 around star HD 165872. [255]

Physical Properties

Simeis 188 is an interstellar cloud of emission, reflection and dark nebulae. It hosts a star forming region. The 10 mag star HD 166056 which is involved in the brightest part of the nebula is located 1476 parsec away. The 7.3 mag star 11 Sgr is with 1195 parsec closer to us. [145]

Revised+Historic NGC/IC, Version 22/9, © Dr. Wolfgang Steinicke [277]
NameRADecTypebMagvMagB-VSBDimPAzD(z)MDDreyer DescriptionIdentification, Remarks
NGC 655918 09 57.6-24 06 35EN8 × 51.500vF, vL, lE, ** invLBN 29, ESO 521-*N40, Sh2-29
IC 127418 09 50.0-23 38 54EN+*6 × 53 st 8.5 to 9m in pL nebLBN 33, ESO 521-N*41, CED 154D, Sh2-31
IC 127518 10 07.0-23 45 42EN+*2 st 8 & 8.5 in pL neb
IC 468118 08 20.0-23 25 55*9.8S neb or neb *SAO 186340
IC 468418 09 08.6-23 26 09EN+*3 × 2S neb or neb *LBN 34, ESO 521-N*33
IC 468518 09 17.4-23 59 14OCL (IV3pn)15 × 101.200* 7.5 in L, dif nebOCL 22, ESO 521-*N37, a x b of nebula
Minkowski 1-41: Image taken with OmegaCAM imager on ESO’s 2.6 VLT Survey Telescope, © 2017 ESO [608]

Planetary Nebula Minkowski 1-41

In 1946 the German-American astronomer Rudolph Minkowski found the planetary nebula M 1-41 while he was looking for H-α emissions on the photographic plates taken with the 60 inch or 100 inch telescope on Mount Wilson. [397]

This unusual shaped planetary nebula has a relatively bright irregular central region and faint, very extended bipolar lobes in orientation of PA 9°. The lobes are only visible in infrared at 8 µm. The central star has atemperature of 142'400 K. The planetary nebula is superimposed on the background nebula and lies at a distance of 848 parsec. [145, 610]

«Strasbourg-ESO Catalogue of Galactic Planetary Nebulae» Acker et al., 1992 [141]
DesignationsPN G006.7-02.2: M 1-41, PK 6-02.1, He 2- 355, Ve 62, VV 152, VV' 355, Wray 17- 112
Right Ascension (J2000.0)18h 09m 30s
Declination (J2000.0)-24° 12' 28"
Dimensions 8.4" (optical)
Radial Velocity-4.7 km/s ± 2.6 km/s
C-Star DesignationsAG82 289
C-Star Spectral Type(WN) ?
DiscovererMINKOWSKI 1946

Finder Chart

This nebula complex is located in constellation Sagittarius, circa 1.5° east to more well known Messier 8. It is best seen in the months of May to September.

Chart Psychedelic Nebula (Simeis 188) + Minkowski 1-41
Psychedelic Nebula (Simeis 188) + Minkowski 1-41 in constellation Sagittarius. Charts created using SkySafari 6 Pro and STScI Digitized Sky Survey. Limiting magnitudes: Constellation chart ≈ 6.5 mag, DSS2 close-ups ≈ 20 mag. [149, 160]

Visual Observation

Description pending ...

More Objects Nearby (±15°)

References