IC 443 - The Jellyfish Nebula
March 9, 2026
IC 443, commonly known as the Jellyfish Nebula, is a supernova remnant located in the constellation Gemini about 5,000 light-years from Earth. It formed when a massive star exploded thousands of years ago, sending shock waves outward into surrounding interstellar gas and dust.
Its tangled, filamentary structure — resembling trailing tentacles — comes from the interaction between the expanding supernova debris and nearby molecular clouds. These shock fronts heat the gas, causing it to glow in visible and X-ray light. IC 443 is also notable for containing a neutron star remnant, the compact core left behind after the original star’s collapse.
The two bright stars in the image are Propus and Tejat Posterior, which make up the right foot of Gemini. The image is presented in the Hubble SHO palette with stars in RGB true colour.
Acquisition Details
Telescope: FSQ
| Filter | Frames | Integration |
|---|---|---|
| SII | 17 × 300s | 1.4 hr |
| Hα | 16 × 300s | 1.3 hr |
| OIII | 12 × 300s | 1.0 hr |
| R | 13 × 120s | 0.4 hr |
| G | 13 × 120s | 0.4 hr |
| B | 15 × 120s | 0.5 hr |
| Total | 5.0 hours |
Processed by Tony Jarrett, with additional star processing by Malcolm.