NGC 2023

{{Short description|Emission nebula in the constellation Orion}}

{{Infobox nebula

| name = NGC 2023

| image = Barnard 33.jpg

| caption = NGC 2023 next to the Horsehead nebula

| epoch = J2000

| constellation = Orion

| ra = {{RA|05|41|37.9}}

| dec = {{DEC|−02|15|52}}

| dist_ly = {{Convert|400|pc|ly|order=flip|abbr=on|lk=on}}

| appmag_v =

| type = reflection

| type2 = emission nebula

| size_v = 10'×10'

| radius_ly =

| absmag_v =

| notes =

| names = NGC 2023, LBN 954, IRAS 05391-0217

}}

NGC 2023 is an emission and reflection nebula in the equatorial constellation of Orion. It was discovered by the German-born astronomer William Herschel on 6 January 1785. This reflection nebula is one of the largest in the sky, with a size of {{nowrap|10 × 10 arcminutes}}. It is located at a distance of {{convert|400|pc|ly|order=flip|abbr=on}} from the Sun, and is positioned {{Val|15|ul=arcminute|p=~}} to the northeast of the Horsehead Nebula.

This star-forming nebula forms part of the Orion B molecular cloud, or Lynds 1630, and is located in the northern section of this complex. In terms of stellar density, it is the poorest of the four clusters embedded in the cloud complex, with only 21 embedded infrared sources. The reflection nebula is illuminated by the Herbig Ae/Be star HD 37903, which has a spectral class of about B2 Ve. The region around the central star is radiating fluorescent molecular hydrogen emission at a near-infrared range. Infrared emission of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons has been detected from the nebula's dust.

Gallery

The Birth of the Hunter.jpg|NGC 2023 taken with the VLT's FORS.

Sunset Glow in Orion.jpg|Southern detail of NGC 2023 (HST ACS)

References

{{commons category|NGC 2023}}

{{Reflist|40em|refs=

{{cite simbad | title=NGC 2023 | accessdate=2020-08-28 }}

{{cite journal

| title=The PAH Emission Characteristics of the Reflection Nebula NGC 2023

| last1=Peeters | first1=Els | last2=Bauschlicher | first2=Charles W. Jr.

| last3=Allamandola | first3=Louis J. | last4=Tielens | first4=Alexander G. G. M.

| last5=Ricca | first5=Alessandra | last6=Wolfire | first6=Mark G.

| display-authors=1 | journal=The Astrophysical Journal

| volume=836 | issue=2 | id=198 | pages=40 | date=February 2017

| doi=10.3847/1538-4357/836/2/198 | arxiv=1701.06585

| bibcode=2017ApJ...836..198P | s2cid=119211134 | doi-access=free }}

{{cite news

| website=Sci–News | date=May 14, 2019

| title=ESO's Very Large Telescope Snaps Beautiful Image of Reflection Nebula

| url=http://www.sci-news.com/astronomy/reflection-nebula-ngc-2023-07186.html

| access-date=2020-08-28 }}

{{cite journal

| title=The power of adaptive optics: a close look at a molecular cloud in NGC 2023

| display-authors=1 | last1=Rouan | first1=D.

| last2=Field | first2=D. | last3=Lemaire | first3=J. -L.

| last4=Lai | first4=O. | last5=Pineau des Forets | first5=G.

| last6=Falgarone | first6=E. | last7=Deltorn | first7=J. -M.

| journal=Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

| volume=284 | issue=2 | pages=395–400 | date=January 1997

| doi=10.1093/mnras/284.2.395 | bibcode=1997MNRAS.284..395R | doi-access=free }}

{{cite journal

| title=Young stars and protostellar cores near NGC 2023

| last1=Mookerjea | first1=B. | last2=Sandell | first2=G.

| last3=Jarrett | first3=T. H. | last4=McMullin | first4=J. P.

| display-authors=1 | journal=Astronomy and Astrophysics

| volume=507 | issue=3 | pages=1485–1502 | date=December 2009

| doi=10.1051/0004-6361/200912550 | arxiv=0909.2614

| bibcode=2009A&A...507.1485M | s2cid=10603379 }}

{{cite journal

| title=A comprehensive study of NGC 2023 with XMM-Newton and Spitzer

| display-authors=1 | last1=López-García | first1=M. A.

| last2=López-Santiago | first2=J. | last3=Albacete-Colombo | first3=J. F.

| last4=Pérez-González | first4=P. G. | last5=de Castro | first5=E.

| journal=Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

| volume=429 | issue=1 | pages=775–791 | date=February 2013

| doi=10.1093/mnras/sts373 | doi-access=free | arxiv=1211.2935

| bibcode=2013MNRAS.429..775L }}

{{Cite web

| url=http://cseligman.com/text/atlas/ngc20.htm#2023

| first=Courtney | last=Seligman

| website=cseligman.com | access-date=2020-08-28

| title=NGC Objects: NGC 2000 - 2049 }}

{{cite journal

| title=Near-IR Fluorescent Molecular Hydrogen Emission from NGC 2023

| last1=Burton | first1=Michael G. | last2=Howe | first2=J. E.

| last3=Geballe | first3=T. R. | last4=Brand | first4=P. W. J. L.

| display-authors=1 | bibcode=1998PASA...15..194B

| journal=Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia

| volume=15 | issue=2 | pages=194–201 | year=1998

| doi=10.1071/AS98194 | doi-access=free | hdl=1959.4/39155 | hdl-access=free }}

}}