Rosette Nebula
| Emission nebula | |
|---|---|
| H II region | |
Rosette Nebula in narrowband with Hubble pallette | |
| Observation data: J2000.0 epoch | |
| Right ascension | 06h 33m 45s |
| Declination | +04° 59′ 54″ |
| Distance | 5,200 ly (1,600 pc) |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 9.0 |
| Apparent dimensions (V) | 1.3 ° |
| Constellation | Monoceros |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Radius | 65 ly |
| Notable features | Multipart nebula |
| Designations | SH 2-275, CTB 21, Caldwell 49 |
The Rosette Nebula (also known as Caldwell 49) is an H II region located near one end of a giant molecular cloud in the Monoceros region of the Milky Way Galaxy. The open cluster NGC 2244 (Caldwell 50) is closely associated with the nebulosity, the stars of the cluster having been formed from the nebula's matter.
The nebula has a shape reminiscent of a human skull, and is sometimes referred to as the "Skull Nebula". It is not to be confused with NGC 246, which is also nicknamed the "Skull Nebula".