Dark Nebulae
IC 5146 is a young star nursery in constellation Cygnus. It is about 2300 light years away and is illuminate by a very young star. Dark molecular clouds make it look like a fireball with a dark smoky tail …
Read more “Cocoon Nebula (IC 5146 )”
Emission Nebulae
The Pelican Nebula is a combination of hydrogen clouds with dust and molecular clouds in constellation Cygnus. It is associated to the well known North America Nebula (NGC 7000). Both are about 1800 light years away and contain may young stars.
Read more “IC 5070, IC 5067 (Pelican Nebula)”
Galaxies
Andromeda Galaxy for the first time of this season. 2.4 million light years away our closest neighbor galaxy. Just with small gear.
Read more “M31”
Supernova Remnants
A supernova remnant in Cassiopeia. It was first classified as planetary nebula. But recent measurement suggest it to be the shockwave of a supernova blast about 10000 years ago at a distance of 10000 light years. The bubble has now a diameter of approximately 100 light years.
This object is pretty faint and difficult. The image has been acquired over three nights, partly through high clouds.
Supernova Remnants
This is a three panel mosaic of this wonderful supernova remnant in Cygnus, maybe the largest in the sky. The progenitor star, 20 times more massive than our sun, exploded some 10000 to 20000 years ago in a distance of about 2400 light years from earth. The shockwave of that explosion still travels with high speed into interstellar gas and makes it glowing brightly in red Halpha and blue OIII light.
Read more “Cygnus Loop (Veil Nebula)”
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)”