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MEDUSA NEBULA PLN205+14.1 - A large and faint planetary nebula about 790 light years distant in the direction of the constellation Gemini. First catalogued and described by George O. Abell during the Palomar Observatory Sky Survey in the 1950's this object was at first believed to be a supernova remnant because of its obvious filamentary structure and half shell appearance. However subsequent observations revealed that a lower than expected radial velocity of the 'debris cloud' and lack of a neutron star could not support the hypothesis for a supernova remnant. Also known as Abell 21, this planetary nebula images well in the hydrogen alpha wavelength. Its visual appearance in a small telescope is nearly impossible to detect. They only way I found it was by carefully star-hopping from brighter objects shown on my star charts. Open star cluster, NGC 2395, is close by and makes a convenient starting point. Large aperture and dark skies will make your hunt much easier.
Auto-guided Ha20/L20/R10/G10/B10 with sub-exposures of 60 seconds in each data set. Data sets acquired with Maxim DL/CCD. ST-7ME/CFW-8a with Tru-Balance color filter set on my Takahashi FS 102 at f/6 with a focal reducer. Processed with median combine and dark frame subtraction in Maxim DL/CCD. Color combining and final processing in Photoshop CS. Imaged December 4th, 2004 at Tres Placitas Observatory Santa Fe, NM
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