IC 5076 (LBN 394, Ced 185)

Type: Reflection Nebula
Constellation: Cygnus
RA: 20h 55.5m
DEC: +47° 24.0’
Magnitude: 11.3
Size: 5’x9’

Only 3° northeast of Deneb and so just north of the famous North America Nebula another beautiful but almost unknown or better rare visited nebula can be found.

The reflection nebula IC 5076 was first found on a photographic plate from Isaac Roberts – an English pioneer in astrophotography. With his modern and powerful 20-inch reflector (silvered glass mirror) he found the nebula at September 13, 1895.
But following the star charts an open cluster with the designation of NGC 6991 is also catalogued on the position of IC 5076. Archinal/Hynes refer to two observations from William and John Herschel. This hardly noticeable cluster was also discussed with Steve G., perhaps he can give clarification here. If I understood it right the cluster refers to a 25’ large group of 35 brighter stars east of the 6mag HD 199478.

To go back to IC 5076, only little information and scientific studies are known. The nebula itself seems to be illuminated by the above mentioned bright HD 199478 at the east side of the nebula. This blue supergiant is also known as V2140 Cygni because of its pulsation in brightness of the order of 0.1 magnitudes. The distance is estimated to 5700 light years.

Existing observations of 8-inch to 10-inch suggest the visibility with even smaller aperture. With larger telescopes some structure like a dark structure from the west and the thin ejection to the south could be detected.

DSS: 15'x15' blue
IC5076_15b.jpg

sketch: 27", 172x, NELM 6m5+, Seeing IV
IC5076.jpg


But as always - give it a go and let us know