California Nebula
Also known as NGC 1499
California Nebula is a nebula in the constellation Perseus.
Emission nebula in Perseus
Facts
| Type | Nebula |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Perseus |
| Position (J2000) | 4h 03m 14s, +36° 22′ |
| Brightness | magnitude 5 (smaller is brighter; the faintest stars the eye sees are about 6) |
| Size on the sky | 160′ × 40′ (the full Moon is about 31′) |
| Filter | H-beta filter (One of the few nebulae that show best through an H-beta filter, which passes only the blue-green light of hydrogen.) |
| Studied in | 181 scientific papers (SIMBAD) |
When and how to see it
California Nebula is highest in the sky at midnight in November. From India (about 20° N) it climbs to about 74° above the horizon; from 50° N, to about 76°. To see it you need the naked eye from a dark site.
Heights are worked out for India and for 50° N. Set your location in Settings to see them for where you are.
For tonight's best time from your own town, the darkness and the Moon, open it on the map and see its "Tonight from your location" card.
More in Perseus
- Alpha Persei Cluster
- Double Cluster
- Little Dumbbell Nebula (M76)
- M34 (NGC 1039)
- Mirfak
- NGC 1277
- Perseus A (NGC 1275)
- Perseus Cluster
Everything in Perseus · All 88 constellations · All sky objects
Data: SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg; the site's weekly copy) · OpenNGC · Data sources & credits