NGC2264 Christmas Tree Cluster & Cone Nebula
Fun facts NGC 2264 is the New General Catalogue designation number identifying two astronomical objects as a single object: the Cone Nebula and the Christmas Tree Cluster. Two other objects are also within this designation but not officially included, the Snowflake Cluster and the Fox Fur Nebula. All the objects are located in the Monoceros […]
NGC6960 West Veil (Witch’s Broom) Nebula
Fun facts The Veil Nebula is a cloud of heated and ionized gas and dust in the constellation Cygnus. NGC6960, the Western Veil’s Witch’s Broom Nebula spans about 35 light-years. The bright star in the frame is 52 Cygni, visible with the unaided eye from a dark location but unrelated to the ancient supernova remnant. […]
M42 Orion Nebula
M42 Orion and NGC1977 Running Man Nebula; captured from HCH, Colorado Springs, CO with Big Bertha and ZWO ASI6200MM mono camera, filter wheel with RGB-HSO filters on 24 December 2025 FUN FACTS The Orion Nebula (also known as Messier 42, M42, or NGC 1976) is a diffuse nebula in the Milky Way situated south of […]
SH2-240 Spaghetti Nebula
First light and data collection with my new ZWO ASI6200MM mono camera and ZWO 7×2” Electronic Filter Wheel was on 15 November, collecting data on the SH2-240 Spaghetti Nebula shown in the “Previously captured images of SH2-240 Spaghetti Nebula” below. That night, I split my time between first gathering data with the mono camera and […]
SH2-129 Flying Bat & OU-4 Giant Squid Nebulae
This image is comprised of data from two separate first light experiences! The OIII data that reveals the OU-4 Giant Squid (the blue nebula that looks like a bat (?)) was captured using my new ZWO ASI6200MM mono camera with the OIII filter mounted into my new ZWO EFW filter wheel. So, the OU-4 Giant […]
SH2-119 Clamshell Nebula
Fun facts Sharpless 119, is a large patch of emission nebulosity in the constellation Cygnus some 2300 light years from Earth. It’s only 2-3 degrees away from the North American and Pelican Nebulae, so is often overlooked. The bright star 68 Cygni, at a magnitude 5, is one of the stars responsible for ionizing the […]
B144 Fish on a Platter Nebula
Fun facts There is some degree of confusion over the identity of the Fish on a Platter Nebula. Most sources agree that it represents the dark cloud Barnard 144, but it is occasionally listed as Barnard 143, which forms part of the ‘E’ Nebula in Aquila. Neither structure is immediately reminiscent of a fish, on […]
NGC7822 Teddy Bear (a.k.a. Question Mark, formerly Flaming Skull) Nebula
NGC7822 Teddy Bear Nebula (a.k.a. Question Mark Nebula, previously known as Flaming Skull Nebula); captured from Bryce Park Place, Cannonville, Utah using the Southern Cross with its 0.7x reducer on 19 October 2025 Target Fun Facts NGC 7822 is a young star forming complex in the constellation of Cepheus. The complex encompasses the emission region […]
SH2-126 & LBN437 Gecko Nebula
Target Fun Facts LBN437 & SH2-126: SH2-126 is a large emission nebula in the Lacerta (The Lizard) constellation. It appears in this image as the red nebula. The source of its ionization is the intense ultraviolet radiation from the star 10 Lacertae, a blue main sequence star. The yellow-brownish nebula, which forms a “stellar funnel” […]
SH2-142/NGC7380 Wizard Nebula & Star Cluster
SH2-142/NGC 7380 Wizard Nebula; Captured from Mills Canyon Rim in Kiowa National Grasslands, NM with Big Bertha; 21 September 2025 Target Fun Facts The Wizard Nebula is often referred to as NGC 7380 but this classification really applies to the young star cluster (3.8 million years old!) associated with this nebulous region. The nebula itself […]