IC59 & IC63

IC 59 also Known as: Sharpless 185, (Sh2-185)

Object Type: Reflection & Emission Nebula

Constellation: Cassiopeia

Distance from Earth: 610 Light years

Apparent Magnitude: 10.0

Coordinates: RA 00H 59M 29S DEC 61 deg 08 min 37 sec (NGC 7331)

Actual Size: IC 59 --- 2 light years in diameter IC63 -- 1 light year in diameter

Apparent Dimensions: IC 59 -- 10 arc-minutes x 5 arc-minutes IC63 -- 2.7 arc-minutes

Discovered by: IC 59 and IC 63 were discovered by Max Wolf in 1893

Description: IC 59 and IC 63 are faint reflection and emission nebula located in the northern constellation of Cassiopeia.
They are challenging objects to spot with telescopes for a number of reasons.
Both nebulae are faint at apparent mag. +10, they have extremely low surface brightness and surround bright variable star gamma Cas (γ Cas). From our perspective, IC 59 is located on the northern side of gamma Cas and IC 63 to the northeast.
Spatially the nebulae are roughly 3 light-years from gamma Cas, although IC 63 is slightly closer to the star.
IC 63 — the brighter of the two and slightly closer to Gamma Cassiopeia than IC 59 — is a combination of an emission and reflection nebula. Unlike a reflection nebula which appears blue, the glowing hydrogen gas appears red.
IC 59 is primarily a refection nebula, showing much less red hydrogen, and is appearing blue due to dust reflected starlight that is passing through it.
As a result, it's appears mostly red due to a dominance of H-alpha emission, whereas IC 59 exhibits much less H-alpha emission and appears mostly blue due to dust reflected starlight.

Click Below Image(s) for Full Size:

They are challenging objects to spot with telescopes for a number of reasons. Both nebulae are faint at apparent mag. +10, they have extremely low surface brightness and surround bright variable star gamma Cas (γ Cas).
This remarkable star is partly unstable and is known as a "shell star". It currently shines at mag. +2.15, making it the brightest star in Cassiopeia.

The nebulae are best seen from the Northern Hemisphere during the months of October, November and December.

Platesolve

IC59 & IC 63 Emission and Reflection Nebulae

Imaging Details
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