Pictures of the Jellyfish Nebula

Pictures of the Jellyfish Nebula

Facts about and images of IC443, a supernova remnant known as the Jellyfish Nebula.

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Lee Dyson

Published: July 7, 2021 at 1:42 pm

The Jellyfish Nebula - also known as IC 443 and Sh2-248 - is a supernova remnant located 5,000 lightyears away.

The glowing cosmic tendrils and fat bulbous 'head' are what give this deep-sky object its name, as it resembles a cosmic jellyfish floating through the Universe.

The Jellyfish Nebula is all that remains of a massive star that ran out of fuel and exploded as a supernova, leaving behind a shell of glowing gas.

IC 443 - Hubble Palette Jellyfish by Bob Franke, Chino Valley, Arizona, USA. Equipment: Takahashi FSQ-106ED, SBIG STF-8300M, AstroDon SII, Ha, OIII filters, Losmandy G11 mount
IC 443 - Hubble Palette Jellyfish by Bob Franke, Chino Valley, Arizona, USA. Equipment: Takahashi FSQ-106ED, SBIG STF-8300M, AstroDon SII, Ha, OIII filters, Losmandy G11 mount

Studies with the Chandra X-ray Observatory suggest that the explosion may have created a spinning neutron star known as a pulsar in the southern edge of the nebula.

Yet while it was the collapsing of a dying star that produced the Jellyfish Nebula, some of the leftover material may well coalesce and grow over time, eventually producing new stars and perhaps even new planetary systems.

Below is a selection of images of the Jellyfish Nebula captured by BBC Sky at Night Magazine readers and astrophotographers from around the world.

For advice on photographing the night sky, read our guide to astrophotography or our top tips on the best astrophotography cameras.

And don't forget to send us your images or share them with us via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Jellyfish Nebula Karl McCluskey, Castleford, West Yorkshire, 17 January 2020 Equipment: Altair Hypercam 183m Pro Tec camera, William Optics GT71 apo triplet refractor, Celestron AVX mount
Jellyfish Nebula by Karl McCluskey, Castleford, West Yorkshire, 17 January 2020. Equipment: Altair Hypercam 183m Pro Tec camera, William Optics GT71 apo triplet refractor, Celestron AVX mount
Jellyfish Nebula by Lee Housden, Essex, UK. Equipment: Celestron CPC 8
Jellyfish Nebula by Lee Housden, Essex, UK. Equipment: Celestron CPC 8" SCT, Skywatcher 80 Mm Apo, EQ Wedge, QHY5 Guide, Cannon 450d Modded, Clip Filter
Jellyfish Nebula by Alastair Woodward, Derby, UK. Equipment: Skywatcher 130PDS, HEQ5, Canon 350d (mono - self debayered), 6nm Ha Clip Filter, PHD2 guiding, ST80, QHY5L-II.
Jellyfish Nebula by Alastair Woodward, Derby, UK. Equipment: Skywatcher 130PDS, HEQ5, Canon 350d (mono - self debayered), 6nm Ha Clip Filter, PHD2 guiding, ST80, QHY5L-II.
IC443 Nothern Shell, Jellyfish Nebula by Mark Griffith, Swindon, Wiltshire, UK. Equipment: Teleskop service 12
IC443 Nothern Shell, Jellyfish Nebula by Mark Griffith, Swindon, Wiltshire, UK. Equipment: Teleskop service 12" Richey-Chretien telescope, Skywatcher EQ8 mount,Atik 383L camera, Astronomik Sii, Ha, Oiii filters, Astro physics 0.67 reducer.
Sh2-249 Jellyfish Nebula in HST by Chris Heapy, Macclesfield, UK. Equipment: TV NP127is, Large Field Corrector, Moravian G4-16000, Chroma 3nM Ha, SII and OIII, 10-Micron GM2000HPS-II.
Sh2-249 Jellyfish Nebula in HST by Chris Heapy, Macclesfield, UK. Equipment: TV NP127is, Large Field Corrector, Moravian G4-16000, Chroma 3nM Ha, SII and OIII, 10-Micron GM2000HPS-II.
Jelly Fish Nebula by Paul Gordon, Rochford, Essex, UK. Equipment: Borg 77ED II Refractor, Modded Canon EOS 1000D DSLR, CLS light pollution filter, Skyscan HEQ5 Pro.
Jelly Fish Nebula by Paul Gordon, Rochford, Essex, UK. Equipment: Borg 77ED II Refractor, Modded Canon EOS 1000D DSLR, CLS light pollution filter, Skyscan HEQ5 Pro.
IC 443 Jellyfish Nebula by Georges Chassaigne, Fregenal De La Sierra, Spain. Equipment: RC14
IC 443 Jellyfish Nebula by Georges Chassaigne, Fregenal De La Sierra, Spain. Equipment: RC14" Astrosib, AP1600AE, SBIG STX 16003.
The Jellyfish Nebula IC443 by Martin Baker, Sandhurst, Berkshire, UK. Equipment: Modified NEQ6, WO megrez 72mm, 0.8 reducer. SX694 CCD, Lodestar OAG, Baader NB filters.
The Jellyfish Nebula IC443 by Martin Baker, Sandhurst, Berkshire, UK. Equipment: Modified NEQ6, WO megrez 72mm, 0.8 reducer. SX694 CCD, Lodestar OAG, Baader NB filters.
IC443 - The Jellyfish Nebula by Stewart Wilson, Enfield, N London, UK. Equipment: Skywatcher Quattro F4 250mm, ASI1600MM Cool, SX Maxi Wheel, 3nm Chroma SHO Filters, 10Micron GM-1000 HPS
IC443 - The Jellyfish Nebula by Stewart Wilson, Enfield, N London, UK. Equipment: Skywatcher Quattro F4 250mm, ASI1600MM Cool, SX Maxi Wheel, 3nm Chroma SHO Filters, 10Micron GM-1000 HPS
Turbulent Nature of the Jellyfish Nebula by Steve Pastor, Mayhill, NM, USA. Equipment: Takahashi CCA-250, QSI683wsg CCD, Astrodon 5nm H-alpha filter, Paramount ME.
Turbulent Nature of the Jellyfish Nebula by Steve Pastor, Mayhill, NM, USA. Equipment: Takahashi CCA-250, QSI683wsg CCD, Astrodon 5nm H-alpha filter, Paramount ME.
The Jellyfish Nebula Martin Baker, 25 November 2017 & 18 January 2018, Berkshire Equipment: Trius SX694 CCD camera, William Optics Megrez 72mm doublet apo refractor, Sky-Watcher NEQ6 Pro SynScan mount.

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