- Constellation: Lyra
- Right Ascension: 18h 53m 35.079s
- Declination: +33° 01′ 45.03″
- Distance: 2,300 ly
Messier 57 is a planetary nebula located in the constellation of Lyra. Often referred to as the Ring nebula as it resembles a small ring visually in a telescope. A planetary nebula is formed when a star in the latter stages of its life swells up into a red giant phase and the outer layers are expelled into the surrounding space as the star contracts down to a white dwarf. The ionizing radiation causes the surrounding gas to fluoresce.
Independently discovered by Charles Messier and Antoine Darquier de Pellepoix in January 1779.
Imaged with the ES127 refractor and the Atik314L+ mono camera.
Also visible in this highly stretched version are several background galaxies.
- Details
- Category: Nebulas
- Telescope: Explore Scientific 127 Refractor
- Camera: Atik 314l+
- Constellation: Vulpecula
- Right Ascension: 19h 59m 36.340s
- Declination: +22°43’16.09”
- Distance: 1,360 ly
Messier 27 or commonly called the Dumbbell Nebula or Apple Core nebula due to its appearance visually through a telescope. It is a planetary nebula which is a misnomer as it has nothing to do with planets. It is formed as a star enters it's last stages of its life as the outer layers swell out and before they dissipate out into space. The surrounding layers are ionized by the remaining hot core. The remains of the star eventually contract down into a white dwarf to slowly cool over the eons. The central white dwarf is one of the largest known white dwarfs. The estimated age of the nebula is around 14,600 years.
- Details
- Category: Nebulas
- Telescope: Explore Scientific 127 Refractor
- Camera: Atik 314l+
- Constellation: Sagittarius
- Right Ascension: 18h 20m 26s
- Declination: −16° 10′ 36″
- Distance: 5000+ ly
Messier 17 or often called the Omega nebula or Swan nebula due to its appearance visually in a telescope. A massive nebula and star forming region located in the constellation of Sagittarius with the dense cluster of stars of the Milky Way Galaxy in the background. The nebula spans some 15 light years in diameter and lies at a distance of some 5000+ light years. It is similar to the more famous Orion nebula.
- Details
- Category: Nebulas
- Telescope: EDT 80mm Reftactor
- Camera: ZWO 1600 MM
- Constellation: Ophiuchus
- Right Ascension: 17h 23m 30s
- Declination: −23° 38′
- Distance: 650 ly
Barnard 72 is a dark nebula located in the constellation of Ophiuchus. Often called the Snake Nebula, the thicker regions of gas and dust blot out the light from the background stars of the Milky Way Galaxy. Several other dark nebula are visible in the image.
- Details
- Category: Nebulas
- Telescope: EDT 80mm Reftactor
- Camera: ZWO 1600 MM
- Constellation: Sagittarius
The Trifid Nebula (M20) and the Lagoon Nebula (M8) against the backdrop of the summer Milky Way Galaxy. The Trifid is a combination of an emission nebula, the reddish glow, a dark nebula, the dark areas in the nebula and a reflection nebula, the blueish area. The red emission is caused by hot massive stars in the nebula ionizing the surrounding cloud causing it to glow. The dark areas are thicker concentrations of the nebula that block light from behind it. The blue parts is caused by light from the hot massive blueish stars reflecting off of the dust grains.
The Lagoon nebula is primary an emission nebula but it has thicker concentrations of material in it. The small dark ones are referred to as Bok globules which are collapsing areas of the nebula. Both nebulae contain new and protostars forming out of the surrounding regions.
- Details
- Category: Nebulas
- Telescope: EDT 80mm Reftactor
- Camera: ZWO 1600 MM
- Constellation: Taurus
- Right Ascension: 04h 09m 16.984s
- Declination: +30° 46′ 33.47″
- Distance: 2,200 ly
NGC 1514 is often called the Crystal Ball Nebula. It is a planetary nebula located in the constellation of Taurus. Discovered by William Herschel in 1790, it caused him to rethink the idea that nebulosity is just unresolved stars. The nebula is formed by a tightly bound pair of dying stars that are expelling their outer layers.
- Details
- Category: Nebulas
- Telescope: GSO RC10
- Camera: Atik 314l+