Dark Nebulae
Iris Nebula (LBN 487 and NGC 7023) to the right, Ghost Nebula (vdB 141) to the left. Wonderful reflection and dark nebulae 1300 and 1470 light years from earth. Captured in a single short night without any special filter.
Read more “Iris Nebula & Ghost Nebula”
Emission Nebulae
Huge HII region in Cepheus and Cassiopeia. Massive stars illuminate surrounding gas clouds. Wolf-Rayet stars power the blueish central part of the Lobster Claw and a massive star blows up the bubble, which is nothing else but a shockwave generated by fast stellar winds. The open star cluster just on the top in the center has a funny form … like the tip of an arrow.
Read more “Sh 2-157 (Lobster Claw Nebula), NGC 7635 (Bubble Nebula), NGC 7538 (Northern Lagoon Nebula), NGC 7510”
Emission Nebulae
NGC 6823 is a young star cluster in the center of this image. It illuminates a reflections nebula NGC 6820 (bluish) and powers the surrounding emission nebula Sh 2-86. This star nursery is about 6000 light years away in constellation Vulpecula.
Read more “NGC 6820, NGC 6823, Sh 2-86”
Emission Nebulae
A gas nebula powered by a Wolf-Rayet star in the center. The star has ejected several times the mass of the sun into the surrounding gas remaining from the formation of the star only several million years ago. The star is more than 20 times as massive as the sun and has almost burned its fuel. In about a million years from now it will go supernova providing a spectacular firework.
Read more “NGC 6888”
Emission Nebulae
A young open star cluster embedded in a cloud of gas, still stars forming deep inside the nebula. It is 8500 light years away in constellation Cepheus.
Read more “NGC 7380 (Wizard Nebula)”
Emission Nebulae
A closer view to IC 1396 with the Elephant’s Trunk Nebula. A star forming region about 2400 light years away. The trunk on top. Do you see the little running man?
Read more “NGC 1396 (Elephant’s Trunk Nebula)”
Emission Nebulae
This is an wide field image showing the southern part of Cepheus. Right in the Center IC 1396, which contains the famous Elephant’s Trunk Nebula.
Read more “NGC 1396 (Elephant’s Trunk Nebula)”
Emission Nebulae
Famous emission nebula in Cygnus. The form gives it its name. It is about 2600 light years away.
Read more “NGC 7000 (North America Nebula)”
Galaxies
NGC 4565 is the brightest galaxy in the coma cluster and approximately 55 million light years from here. Our view from earth is edge on and we cannot see its actual spiral structure. Observations at other wavelength reveal an active black hole in its core.
Read more “NGC 4565 (Needle Galaxy)”
Galaxies
M 94 is a very special galaxy only 16 million years away in constellation Canes Venatici. It has an outer and an inner ring. The inner ring is a region of very active star formation, probably triggered by infalling gas from the outer parts of the galaxy.
Read more “M 94 (Croc’s Eye Galaxy)”