NGC 2023

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 This article does not cite any references or sources. (December 2007)
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.
Notepad
 To comply with Wikipedia's quality standards, this article may need to be rewritten.
Please help improve this article. The discussion page may contain suggestions.
NGC 2023
Observation data: J2000 epoch
Type Reflection and Emission
Right ascension 05h 41m 37.9s
Declination −02° 15′ 52″
Apparent dimensions (V) 10′x10′
Constellation Orion
Physical characteristics
See also: Diffuse nebula, Lists of nebulae
This box: view • talk • edit

The reflection nebula NGC 2023 is in the constellation Orion. It is one of the brightest sources of fluorescent molecular hydrogen, and at 4 light-years wide it is one of the largest in the sky. It is powered by the B star (B1.5) HD 37903, the most luminous member of a cluster of young stellar objects illuminating the front surface of the Lynds 1630 molecular cloud (Barnard 33) in Orion B.

NGC 2023 forms a cavity in the surface of the cloud, some 450 parsecs from Earth. It produces a bright visual reflection nebula and an ultraviolet-excited photodissociation region. It is about a third of a degree from the Horsehead Nebula and is often included (but not indicated) in images of that object.

[edit] External links