Widefield View Across Auriga (the Charioteer)

Shown here is a large swath of the night sky in the constellation Auriga (the Charioteer), spanning an area approximately 12 x 8 degrees. This region contains many features, some relatively bright and familiar, as well as fainter objects. Three open star clusters are spread across the top of the image, from left to right are M37, M36 and M38. To the right is the Flaming Star Nebula (IC405) and its companion IC410. At lower left is my favorite feature, and certainly the dimmest, the supernova remnant variously called the 'Spaghetti Nebula,' Simeis 147 and Sharpless 2-240. At lower center is the bright blue-white giant star Elnath, some 700x brighter than our own sun.