Pelican Nebula (IC 5070): Facts, History & Image

 Improve your understanding of the captivating Pelican Nebula, also recognized by its identifiers IC 5070, IC 5067, and Sh2-117, an H II region and an emission nebula located at an estimated distance of 1,950±163 light-years away in the Cygnus constellation. This celestial entity was captured in photography for the first time on December 12, 1890, by Max Wolf, although the exact coordinates were not provided on this occasion. It was not until September 7, 1899, that Thomas Espin pinpointed the nebula's precise location, earning him the credit for its discovery or co-discovery.

The Association with the North America Nebula

The Pelican Nebula shares a close association with the North America Nebula. Despite this link, a foreground molecular cloud separates the two nebulae. Both of these cosmic clouds form part of an even larger H II region known as Westerhout 40.

The Power Sources of the Nebula

The region is home to several young, hot stars, which are the power source for the nebula. These stars emit immense energy that crafts the nebula, leading to the creation of magnificent filamentary features. The primary power source is a star known as 2MASS J205551.25+435224.6, an O5V-type star.

The Resident Stars of the Nebula

The Pelican Nebula is also a hotbed for many T Tauri stars, which are protostars or young stellar objects, and it houses more than 40 Herbig-Haro objects. Notably, the most prominent among these is HH-555. Moreover, numerous infrared sources have been detected within the nebula, although confirmation of these as protostars is yet to be established.

Image of the Pelican Nebula

Accompanying this informative text is a composite optical image of the Pelican Nebula, taken with a small amateur telescope. This image was brought to life using broadband filters (RGB) in combination with narrow band filters that focus on the emission of ionised oxygen ([O III], blue), ionised hydrogen (Hα, green), and ionised sulphur ([ SII], red). 

The image credit: Garry Imm, @astrobin.