Deep Sky Object of the Month

NGC 2359 in Canis Major. South is at top, matching the view in a reflector or refractor without a star diagonal.

This nebula in Canis Major is a bright, rewarding object in six-inch and larger scopes. Although it is easily visible unfiltered, try a UHC filter for improved contrast. At 153x in a 12.5-inch scope, the nebula had a roughly circular "bubble" with a bright rim. Filaments were glimpsed inside this bubble with averted vision. To the north, a tail of nebulosity joins the bubble and extends to the west. There is a bright knot on the north edge of the nebula and there seems to be a faint glow to the north of the main nebulosity. The overall size is about eight arc-minutes. A very beautiful and fascinating object!

How to get there:

Located in the northeast corner of Canis Major, try star hopping just over four degrees northeast from Gamma Canis Majoris. If you have a Telrad or other reflex sight, NGC 2359 lies halfway between Gamma and Alpha Monocerotis.

Finder chart for NGC 2359