Ced 110 and Ced 111 – Star Formation in Chamaeleon
This image showcases the two prominent reflection nebulae Ced 110 and Ced 111 in the southern constellation Chamaeleon. Both nebulae are part of the Chamaeleon Molecular Cloud Complex, one of the nearest star-forming regions to Earth, located approximately 500 light-years away. The area is particularly rich in T Tauri stars and protostellar objects, which are still in their early stages of development.
Ced 111 appears as a blue reflection nebula illuminated by the young star HD 97048. In contrast, Ced 110 is lit by the yellowish T Tauri star Cha T 2-21. South of Ced 111 lies the small, triangular, and distinctly yellow Cha-IR Nebula.
Particularly striking are the reddish Herbig-Haro objects (HH objects), which form through outflows of material from newborn stars. These objects mark locations where fast-moving gas jets collide with the surrounding interstellar medium, producing characteristic emission lines. Using long exposure times with an Hα filter, several of these HH objects were revealed and are labeled in the annotated image. A scientific review of the HH objects in this region can be found in Bally et al (2006).
The image was chosen as Astrobin Image of the Day on January 1st, 2026.
| Date: | 25.04.-16.06.2025 |
| Optics: | Planewave CDK 14 with Televue 0.8x reducer |
| Aperture: | 350 mm |
| Focal Length: | 2050 mm |
| Camera: | QHY268M |
| Exposure: | 2-panel mosaic, together: L:R:G:B 120:60:60:60 x 600 s Hα 240 x 600 s |
| Location: | Gemsbock Observatory, Rooisand Desert Ranch, Namibia |
| Processing: | PixInsight, Photoshop |
| Diameter: | 5 light years |
| Distance: | 500 Lj |
