Sh2-238, also widely known as Hind’s Variable Nebula or NGC 1555, is a reflection nebula located in the constellation Taurus. It is renowned for its fluctuating brightness. These changes occur based on the activity of its illuminating star, the young variable star T Tauri. It is primarily a reflection nebula. It is also classified as a Herbig-Haro object (HH 155). These are bright patches of nebulosity associated with newly born stars.
The nebula’s appearance and luminosity change over time. This is not only due to the variable light output of T Tauri. It is also because moving dust clouds between the star and the nebula cast shifting shadows. Sh2-238 is a challenging target for amateur astronomers and astrophotographers. It remains popular due to the intricate dust structures. The yellow-orange hues of the surrounding interstellar material add to its appeal.
I photographed this nebula from my driveway in the hills of Burke County, NC. Using APT for image acquisition and session automation I collected 185 5 minute exposures over the course of three nights. Telescope – GSO RC8 at 1625mm focal length, ZWO ASI071MC Pro camera cooled to 14f, Mount – Skywatcher EQ6r Pro. The 185 subframes were calibrated, debayered, aligned, integrated, and processed using PixInsight 1.9.3
