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      The Dolphin Head Nebula
      Wallpaper author:
      Michelle Ashford

      31 Mar 2026

      The Dolphin Head Nebula

      Sh2-308, also designated as Sharpless 308, RCW 11, or LBN 1052, and commonly known as the Dolphin-Head Nebula, is an H II region located near the centre of the constellation Canis Major, composed of ionised hydrogen. It is about 8 degrees south of Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky. The nebula is bubble-like and surrounds a Wolf–Rayet star named EZ Canis Majoris. This star is in the brief, pre-supernova phase of its stellar evolution. The nebula is about 4,530 light-years away from Earth, but some sources indicate that both the star and the nebula could be up to 5,870 light-years away.

      Pixinsight, Blur Exterminator, Affinity, Star Exterminator, Topaz De-Noise

      Dataset from which the image was processed

      Sh 2-308

      4 credit

      Open
      Telescope Live
      CHI-2-CCD
      • Type of target
        ............................................................................................................................
        Emission Nebula
      • Camera
        ............................................................................................................................
        FLI PL16803
      • Target coordinates
        ............................................................................................................................
        RA 103.55417 Dec -23.92833
      • Hemisphere
        ............................................................................................................................
        Southern
      • Telescope location
        ............................................................................................................................
        Chile
      • Transient event
        ............................................................................................................................
        No
      • Observed on
        ............................................................................................................................
        10 Oct 2021 - 15 Oct 2021
      Filter
      Avg Exp (s)
      Total Exposure
      Subframes
      Halpha5332h40m18
      OIII6673h20m18

      The Dolphin Head Nebula