SH2-86/NGC6820 Vulpecula Nebulous Region
Fun facts NGC 6820 is a small reflection nebula near the open cluster NGC 6823 in Vulpecula. The reflection nebula and cluster are embedded in a large faint emission nebula called Sh 2-86. The whole area of nebulosity is often referred to as NGC 6820. M27, the Dumbbell Nebula, is found three degrees to the […]
IC59 & IC63 Ghosts of Cassiopeia
Fun facts IC 59 and IC 63, known together as the Ghosts of Cassiopeia are faint reflection and emission nebula located in the northern constellation of Cassiopeia. Both nebulae are faint at apparent mag. +10, they have extremely low surface brightness and surround bright variable star gamma Cas (γ Cas). This remarkable star is partly […]
Cassiopeia Neighbors: SH2-157 Lobster Claw Nebula, NGC7635 Bubble Nebula, M52 Cassiopeia Salt & Pepper Star Cluster & SH2-161
Target Fun Facts Sharpless 157, sometimes referred to as the Lobster Claw Nebula, is an emission nebula in the constellation Cassiopeia, approximately 11050 light years (3390 parsecs) from the Earth. It is located on the Perseus Arm and is directly connected to the large OB Cassiopeia OB2 association. The northern part of the cloud has […]
SH2-101 Tulip Nebula
Fun facts SH2-101 Tulip Nebula: Sharpless 101 (Sh 2-101) is a H II region emission nebula located in the constellation Cygnus. It is sometimes also called the Tulip Nebula because it appears to resemble the outline of a tulip when imaged photographically. It was catalogued by astronomer Stewart Sharpless in his 1959 catalog of nebulae. […]
IC5146 Cocoon Nebula
Fun facts IC 5146 Cocoon Nebula: A reflection/emission nebula and Caldwell object in the constellation Cygnus. The NGC description refers to IC 5146 as a cluster of 9.5 mag stars involved in a bright and dark nebula. The cluster is also known as Collinder 470. It shines at magnitude +10.0/+9.3/+7.2. It is located near the […]
NGC7635 Bubble Nebula
Fun facts NGC 7635, also known as the Bubble Nebula, Sharpless 162, or Caldwell 11, is an H II region emission nebula in the constellation Cassiopeia. It lies close to the open cluster Messier 52. The “bubble” is created by the stellar wind from a massive hot, 8.7 magnitude young central star, SAO 20575 (BD+60°2522). […]
NGC281 Pacman Nebula
Target Fun Facts NGC 281 Pacman Nebula: NGC281, IC11 or Sh2-184 is a bright emission nebula, part of an HII region in the northern constellation of Cassiopeia, and a part of the Milky Way’s Perseus Spiral Arm. This 20×30 arcmin sized nebulosity is also associated with open cluster IC1590, several Bok globules and the multiple […]
NGC6888 Crescent Nebula
Target Fun Facts NGC6888 Crescent Nebula is an emission nebula in the constellation Cygnus, about 5000 light-years away from Earth. It was discovered by William Herschel in 1792. It is formed by the fast stellar wind from the Wolf-Rayet star WR 136 (HD 192163) colliding with and energizing the slower moving wind ejected by the […]
SH2-132 Lion Nebula
Fun facts Sh2-132 is a large emission nebula in the constellation Cepheus. It is located on the southern edge of the constellation, a short distance from the boundary with the Lizard, along the plane of the Milky Way. Sh2-132 is located at nearly 3200 parsecs (almost 10400 light-years), placing it within the Milky Way’s Perseus […]
M16 Eagle Nebula
Fun facts M16 Eagle Nebula (also known as the Star Queen Nebula) is a young open cluster of stars in the constellation Serpens, discovered by Jean-Philippe de Cheseaux in 1745–46. Both the “Eagle” and the “Star Queen” refer to visual impressions of the dark silhouette near the center of the nebula, an area made famous […]