SH2-27 (ζ Ophiuchi Nebula) behind molecular clouds

A 20°×30° view of SH2-27, partially obscured by molecular clouds, is presented. The large emission nebula, also known as the ζ Ophiuchi Nebula, has an apparent size of about 15°×10° and is ionized by ζ Ophiuchi, the bright star at the center, located 370 light-years away.

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SH2-27 (Zeta Ophiuchi Nebula) behind molecular clouds in H-alpha, blue continuum and red continuum — False-color composite where Hα (without continuum) is mapped to red, blue continuum (including [OIII] and Hβ emissions) is mapped to green, and red continuum (without Hα but with [SII] emissions) is mapped to blue. Emission nebulae appear reddish, while reflection nebulae range from green to blue. Stars are partially subtracted to make the faint nebulae visible.
SH2-27 is the large pinky nebula. Its ionization source, ζ Ophiuchi, is the the bright star at the center of the nebula.

Image data

This image was calculated using data from the Northern Sky Narrowband Survey, DR0.1. Click the link for detailed information or visit the instruments page for information about the equipment. Here is some additional image-specific information:

Center position:	RA: 16:28h, DEC: -6:30°
FOV:	30°×20° (RA×DEC, through center)
Orientation:	JavaScript viewer: North is up Above: North is right
Scale:	10 arcsec/pixel (in center at full resolution)
Projection type:	Stereographic

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