RCW 80

RCW 80 is a supernova remnant in Centaurus

RCW 80 (SNR G309.2-0.6) is a supernova remnant in the constellation Centaurus. spans 21′. It is a telescope object, 6 inches or larger, and it is highest in the evening sky in June.

Nebula: a cloud of gas and dust. Emission nebulae glow on their own, lit by ultraviolet light from hot young stars; reflection nebulae shine by starlight scattered from dust; dark nebulae block the light behind them.

RCW 80 is RCW 80 in the RCW catalog of southern H-alpha regions

A. W. Rodgers, C. T. Campbell and J. B. Whiteoak listed it in their catalog of H-alpha emission regions in the southern Milky Way (1960), from photographs taken at Mount Stromlo Observatory.

Finding RCW 80 from Hadar

RCW 80 lies 3.3° southwest of Hadar, the magnitude 0.6 star. Three fingers held at arm's length cover about 5°.

RCW 80 is highest in the evening in June

The chart gives its height above the horizon at 9 pm through the year, from 60°N to 40°S. It can be seen from the whole southern hemisphere and north to about 27°N, and never sets south of 27°S.

The distance to RCW 80 is not well measured

Objects within 6° of RCW 80

• RCW 79, emission nebula (H II region), 1.4°
• RCW 78, emission nebula (H II region), 1.6°
• RCW 81, emission nebula (H II region), 1.9°
• RCW 82, emission nebula (H II region), 2.1°
• RCW 83, emission nebula (H II region), 2.7°
• RCW 75, emission nebula (H II region), 3.1°
• RCW 84, emission nebula (H II region), 3.9°
• RCW 74, emission nebula (H II region), 4.1°

RCW 80 catalog data