NEBULAE
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M-8 (NGC-6523) A large bright diffuse nebula and star cluster in Sagittarius. It lies 4500 light years from Earth and is 55 light years in dia. Image acquired on 8/6/2013.
M-20 (NGC-6514) A combination emission/reflection nebula located in Sagittarius, just north of M-8. It lies 4000 light years from Earth and is over 21 light years in diameter.
M-27 (NGC-6853) A large bright planetary nebula in Vulpecula. It lies 900 light years from Earth and is 2 light years in diameter. Commonly called the "Dumbbell".
M-16 (NGC-6611) A young open cluster surrounded by a large cloud of hydrogen gas, which is an area of intense star formation. The radiation from these very hot young stars is what causes the cloud of hydrogen to glow. Image acquired on 7/27/2019, an integration of ten 6 minute exposures.
The Helix Nebula (NGC-7293) This is the largest and closest of all the planetary nebulae, lying only 700 light years from earth. Visually it is almost half the size of the full moon (15 arc minutes) which at its distance translates
to an actual diameter of 1-3/4 light years. This image was
acquired on 8/18/2020.
M-76 (NGC-650/651) Planetary nebula in Perseus. It lies 2500 light years from Earth and is 1.5 light years in dia.
Image acquired on 9/17/2015.
ABELL 39 A large, dim planetary nebula in Hercules. It lies 6800 light years from Earth and is 5 light years in diameter. It central star is 15.5 magnitude. This image
acquired on July 20, 2017.
Eastern Arc of Veil Nebula (NGC-6992) This eastern arc of the Veil complex lies about 2.5 degrees NNE of the Western arc (NGC-6960, shown to the right). These two
arcs are remnants of a supernova that exploded over 45,000 years ago! They lie at a distance of 1500 light years from Earth. Image acquired on 7/29/2014.
M-42 (NGC-1976) The "Great Nebula" in Orion. It forms the middle "star" in the Belt of Orion. This is a giant cloud of interstellar gas and dust, and is an area of intense star formation.
M-17 (NGC-6618) Commonly called the "Swan" or "Omega" nebula. Located near the Sagittarius/Serpens border. This is a huge cloud of ionized hydrogen gas that lies over 5,000 light years from Earth. This image acquired on 7/14/2012, is a 30 minute integration of 90 second exposures through the C-11 at f/2.
The Cocoon Nebula (IC-5146) A combination
emission & reflection nebula in northern Cygnus.
Image acquired on 8/3/2014.
NGC-281, The "Pac Man" Nebula. A large hydrogen emission nebula in Cassiopiea. It lies 9500 light years from Earth and is over 90 light years in diameter.
Image acquired on 9/18/2012.
THE BUBBLE NEBULA (NGC-7635) A dim hydrogen emission nebula in Cassiopiea. It is illuminated by the intense
radiation from a super-hot Wolf/Rayet star (which can be seen at about 1 o'clock, inside the "bubble". Image acquired on 7/29/2014.
Western Arc of Veil Nebula (NGC-6960) Located 2.5 deg.
SSW of the Eastern arc (NGC-6992, shown to the left) it is the remnant of a supernova that exploded over 45,000 years ago! It lies at a distance of 1500 light years from Earth. Image acquired on 7/29/2014.
NGC-2359 "Thor's Helmet" A faint emission nebula in Canis Major
located 8 degrees NE of the star Sirius. It lies 11,000 light years from Earth. It is a large H-II (Ionized Hydrogen) cloud that is illuminated by a super-hot Wolf-Rayet type star.
M-78 (NGC-2068) A bright reflection nebula in Orion, located 2.3 degrees NE of Zeta Orionis (the easternmost
star in the "belt". It lies 1350 light years from Earth.
M-1 (NGC-1952) A supernova remnant in Taurus, only
1 degree NW of Zeta Tauri, the star that is the southern tip of the bull's horn. Discovered by Bevis in 1731.
NGC-7000, The "North American" Nebula. Located near the tail of Cygnus, the Swan, near the bright star Deneb. This is a vast cloud of gas and dust that lies 1600 light years from Earth.
M-57 (NGC-6720) Commonly called the "Ring" nebula, thisis
the brightest and most well known of this type of object. It is located in Lyra, midway between Beta & Gamma Lyrae.
M-97 (NGC-3587) Located in the constellation of Ursa
Major, about 1 degree SE of Merak (Beta U Majoris).
NGC-896 A bright emission nebula in Cassiopiea, sometimes called "The Fishhead Nebula" It is part of a much larger complex
of nebulosity known as the Soul Nebula.
NGC-7023 Sometimes called the Iris Nebula. This is a bright reflection nebula in Cepheus. It lies 1300 miles from Earth.