NGC 2244 is an open star cluster embedded within the Rosette Nebula, a large HII region in the constellation Monoceros located about 5,200 light-years away.
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NGC 2244 is an open star cluster embedded within the Rosette Nebula, a large HII region in the constellation Monoceros located about 5,200 light-years away. The nebula itself spans roughly 130 light-years across, one of the larger star-forming regions in this part of the galaxy, with the young, hot O-type stars of NGC 2244 having formed from and now carving out a central cavity in the surrounding gas. The rose-like shape that gives the nebula its name comes from the shell of glowing gas surrounding this central cavity. NGC 2244/the Rosette is a favorite narrowband target, with Hα and O III filters (often combined in an SHO palette) producing the classic red-and-teal “rose” rendering popular in amateur astrophotography.
