When to photograph IC 5146 (Cocoon Nebula)

When to photograph it

From 45° N the best months are September and October, with up to 8.0 hours of astronomical darkness above 30° in September. It reaches 88° at its highest. It never sets from this latitude, so some imaging is possible all year.

From 35° S it never climbs above 30°. It peaks at 8° when it crosses the meridian, low enough that haze and light pollution soften it. It is possible with a clear northern horizon, but hard.

Framing

Its long axis is 12′. It fills 35 to 80% of the short side of an APS-C sensor at about 1560 to 3580 mm, and of a full-frame sensor at about 2410 to 5500 mm.

Filters and the moon

It glows in H-alpha, and often OIII, so a dual-band filter on a color camera or narrowband filters on a mono camera cut light pollution and keep it workable with the moon up. The dark sky calendar shows which nights this month are moon-free where you are.

Plan it for tonight

Dates and times depend on your exact location. The imaging planner shows IC 5146's altitude through tonight, its transit time and its distance from the moon. For sub length, use the exposure calculator.

Nearby targets

• M 39 3.8° away
• NGC 7243 4.4° away
• NGC 7000 North America Nebula 9.8° away
• IC 1396 Elephant's Trunk Nebula 10.5° away
• IC 5070 Pelican Nebula 11.2° away
• NGC 7380 Wizard Nebula 13.5° away