A new and breathtaking image of the nebula Sh2-284 has been obtained by the astrophotographer Mar Mérida thanks to the data captured by the Cala d’Hort Telescope (TCH) during the months of November and December 2024. The Cala d’Hort Observatory, owned by the Consell de Ibiza and managed by the Agrupación Astronómica de Eivissa, continues to consolidate its position as a reference in astrophotography and scientific dissemination in the Balearic Islands.
The photograph, the result of 21 hours of integration, reveals with exceptional sharpness the details of this vast region of dust and gas known as Sh2-284, considered a true stellar nursery. Its brightest region is approximately 150 light-years across and is located about 15,000 light-years from Earth, in the constellation Monoceros, at the end of one of the outer spiral arms of the Milky Way.
At the heart of Sh2-284 is the open star cluster Dolidze 25, whose young stars emit powerful winds that shape the nebula and pierce its interior, creating columns and structures that frame the cluster. These processes energize the surrounding gas and generate the intense luminosity characteristic of this giant H II region.
The “smiling cat nebula”.
Sh2-284, popularly known as the “smiling cat nebula” because of its appearance in certain images, has been studied because of its low metallicity, a feature that makes it possible to investigate how stars formed in early times in the universe.
The new capture obtained from Ibiza not only stands out for its visual beauty, but also for the scientific value of observing from the island one of the most striking and active star formation zones in our galaxy.
