# Spaghetti Nebula

Spaghetti Nebula
SH2-240, Simeis 147
1/31 – 2/21/2017
Taurus
BrewSky Observatory, Casa Grande, AZ
Takahashi FSQ106ED on Paramount MX, SBig STF8300M Camera/Filter Wheel/STi guider
−5°C
 # Exp (min) Filter Bin Net Time (hr) 32 2 Green 1×1 1 32 2 Blue 1×1 1 46 30 HAlpha 1×1 23 Total 25 hr
Calibrated in Maxim, Aligned/Stacked/Processed in PixInsight.
4 panel mosaic
Simeis 147, also known as the Spaghetti Nebula, SNR G180.0-01.7 or Sharpless 2-240, is a supernova remnant (SNR) in the Milky Way, straddling the border between the constellations Auriga and Taurus. Discovered in 1952 at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory using a 25-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, it is difficult to observe due to its extremely low brightness.

The nebulous area is fairly large with an almost spherical shell and filamentary structure. The remnant has an apparent diameter of approximately 3 degrees, an estimated distance of approximately 3000 (±350) light-years, and an age of approximately 40,000 years.

It is believed that after its stellar explosion a rapidly spinning neutron star known as pulsar PSR J0538+2817 was left behind in the nebula core, emitting a strong radio signal.