Nebulae

Astrophotography by Chris Fellows

Data from SEDS

	Name	Thumbnail Mouse over for RA/Dec Click for larger image	Description	Image info
	M1 - Crab Nebula		Supernova Remnant M1 (NGC 1952) in Taurus. The supernova was noted on July 4, 1054 A.D. by Chinese astronomers, and was about four times brighter than Venus, or about mag -6. According to the records, it was visible in daylight for 23 days, and 653 days to the naked eye in the night sky. It was probably also recorded by Anasazi Indian artists (in present-day Arizona and New Mexico), as findings in Navaho Canyon and White Mesa (both AZ) as well as in the Chaco Canyon National Park (NM) indicate; there's a review of the research on the Chaco Canyon Anasazi art online. In addition, Ralph R. Robbins of the University of Texas has found Mimbres Indian art from New Mexico, possibly depicting the supernova. Additional Info Messier Index M1	Camera = Meade DSI Exposure = 25X15 Sec Processed = Photoshop 6
	M8 - Lagoon Nebula		Diffuse Nebula M8 (NGC 6523), an emission nebula, in Sagittarius. One of the remarkable features of the Lagoon Nebula is the presence of dark nebulae known as 'globules' (Burnham) [see expanded image] which are collapsing protostellar clouds with diameters of about 10,000 AU (Astronomical Units). They can also be seen, along with other detail, in the DSSM image of M8. Some of the more conspicuous globules have been cataloged in E.E. Barnard's catalog of dark nebulae: Barnard 88 (B 88), the comet-shaped globule extended North-to-South (up-down) in the left half and near top of our image, small B 89 in the region of cluster NGC 6530, and long, narrow black B 296 at the south edge of the nebula (lower edge of the image). According to David Eichler, the nebula has probably a depth comparable to its linear extension indicated above. Within the brightest part of the Lagoon Nebula, a remarkable feature can be seen, which according to its shape is called the "Hourglass Nebula" (see our detailed photos). This feature was discovered by John Herschel and occurs in a region where a vivid star formation process appears to take place currently; the bright emission is caused by heavy excitation of very hot, young stars, the illuminator of the hourglass is the hot star Herschel 36 (mag 9.5, spectral class O7). Closely by this feature is the apparently brightest of the stars associated with the Lagoon Nebula, 9 Sagittarii (mag 5.97, spectral class O5), which surely contributes a lot of the high energy radiation which excites the nebula to shine. Additional Info Messier Index M8	Camera = Canon 300D Exposure = 10 Minutes ISO 800 Processed = Photoshop 6
	M16 - Eagle Nebula		Open Cluster M16 (NGC 6611), type 'e', in Serpens associated with the Eagle Nebula. Lying some 7,000 light years distant in the constellation Serpens, close to the borders to Scutum and Sagittarius, and in the next inner spiral arm of the Milky Way galaxy from us (the Sagittarius or Sagittarius-Carina Arm) a great cloud of interstellar gas and dust has entered a vivid process of star formation. Open star cluster M16 has formed from this great gaseous and dusty cloud, the diffuse Eagle Nebula IC 4703, which is now caused to shine by emission light, excited by the high-energy radiation of its massive hot, young stars. It is actually still in the process of forming new stars, this formation taking place near the dark "elephant trunks" which are well visible in our photograph, as well as in AAT pictures and other images of M16. A deeper insight in the star formation process could be obtained from the HST images of M16, published in November 1995; moreover, they were used for an animation simulating the approach to this star forming region, and we provide some screen sized images (suitable as backgrounds for your computer screen).This stellar swarm is only about 5.5 million years old (according to the Sky Catalog 2000 and Götz) with star formation still active in the Eagle Nebula; this results in the presence of very hot young stars of spectral type O6. The cluster was classified as of Trumpler type II,3,m,n (Götz). The brightest star of M16 is of visual magnitude 8.24. At its distance of 7,000 light years, its angular diameter of 7 arc minutes corresponds to a linear extension of about 15 light years. The nebula extends much farther out, to a diameter of over 30', corresponding to a linear size of about 70x55 light years. Additional Info Messier Index M16	Camera = Meade DSI Exposure = 21.2 Sec X 82 Frames Processed = Photoshop 6 Conditions = Intermittent Clouds
	M17 - Omega Nebula		Diffuse Nebula M17 (NGC 6618), an emission nebula, in Sagittarius. The Omega Nebula M17, also called the Swan Nebula, the Horseshoe Nebula, or (especially on the southern hemisphere) the Lobster Nebula, is a region of star formation and shines by excited emission, caused by the higher energy radiation of young stars. Unlike in many other emission nebulae, however, these stars are not obvious in optical images, but hidden in the nebula. Star formation is either still active in this nebula, or ceased very recently. A small cluster of about 35 bright but obscurred stars seems to be imbedded in the nebulosity. The color of the Omega Nebula is reddish, with some graduation to pink. This color comes from the hot hydrogene gas which is excited to shine by the hottest stars which have just formed within the nebula. However, the brightest region is actually of white color, not overexposed as one might think. This phenomenon is apparently a result of a mixture of emission light from the hottest gas, together with reflections of the bright star light from the dust in this region. The nebula contains a large amount of dark obscuring material, which is obvious in its remarkable features. This matter has been heated by the hidden young stars, and shines brightly in infrared light. Additional Info Messier Index M17	Camera = Canon 300D Exposure = 90 Seconds X 7 Frames ISO 400 Processed = Photoshop 6 Conditions = Fair
	M20 - Trifid Nebula		Diffuse Nebula M20 (NGC 6514), an emission and reflection nebula, in Sagittarius. The Trifid Nebula M20 is famous for its three-lobed appearance. This may have caused William Herschel, who normally carefully avoided to number Messier's objects in his catalog, to assign four different numbers to parts of this nebula: H IV.41 (cataloged May 26, 1786) and H V.10, H V.11, H V.12 (dated July 12, 1784). That he numbered this object at all may have its reason in the fact that Messier merely described it as `Cluster of Stars'. The name `Trifid' was first used by John Herschel to describe this nebula. The dark nebula which is the reason for the Trifid's appearance was cataloged by Barnard as Barnard 85 (B 85). The red emission nebula with its young star cluster near its center is surrounded by a blue reflection nebula which is particularly conspicuous to the northern end. The nebula's distance is rather uncertain, with values between 2,200 light years (Mallas/Kreimer; Glyn Jones has 2,300) and about 7,600 light years (C.R. O'Dell 1963). The Sky Catalog 2000 gives 5,200 light years, the WEBDA database has 3140, the Hubble Press Release of Jeff Hester (STScI-PRC99-42) gives "about 9000" light years. Additional Info Messier Index M20	Camera = Canon 300D Exposure = 90 Seconds X 6 Frames ISO 400 Processed = Photoshop 6 Conditions = Fair
	M27 - Dumbbell Nebula		Planetary Nebula M27 (NGC 6853), type 3a+2, in Vulpecula. Also called the Apple Core Nebula. We happen to see this one approximately from its equatorial plane (approx. left-to-right in our image); this is similar to our view of another, fainter Messier planetary nebula, M76, which is called the Little Dumbbell. From near one pole, it would probably have the shape of a ring, and perhaps look like we view the Ring Nebula M57. This planetary nebula is certainly the most impressive object of its kind in the sky, as the angular diameter of the luminous body is nearly 6 arc minutes, with a faint halo extensing out to over 15', half the apparent diameter of the Moon (Millikan 1974). It is also among the brightest, being at most little less luminous with its estimated apparent visual magnitude 7.4 than the brightest, the Helix Nebula NGC 7293 in Aquarius, with 7.3, which however has a much lower surface brightness because of its larger extension (estimates from Stephen Hynes); it is a bit unusual that this planetary is only little fainter photographically (mag 7.6). The present author (hf) was surprized how fine this object was seen in his 10x50 binoculars under moderately good conditions ! Additional Info Messier Index M27	Camera = Meade DSI Exposure = 15SecX57Frames Processed = Photoshop 6 Conditions = Good but M27 was very low in the eastern sky glow
New	M42 - Great Orion Nebula Full size picture		Diffuse Nebula M42 (NGC 1976), an emission and reflection nebula, in Orion. Located at a distance of about 1,600 (or perhaps 1,500) light years, the Orion Nebula is the brightest diffuse nebula in the sky, visible to the naked eye, and rewarding in telescopes of every size, from the smallest glasses to the greatest Earth-bound observatories and the Hubble Space Telescope. It is the main part of a much larger cloud of gas and dust which extends over 10 degrees well over half the constellation Orion. The linear extend of this giant cloud is well several hundreds of light years. It can be visualized by long exposure photos (see e.g. Burnham) and contains, besides the Orion nebula near its center, the following objects, often famous on their own: Barnard's Loop, the Horsehead Nebula region (also containing NGC 2024 = Orion B), and the reflection nebulae around M78. Already impressive in deep visible light photographs, the Orion Cloud is particularly gorgeous in the infrared light. Additional Info Messier Index M42	Camera = Cannon 300D Exposure = 6 Min X 20 Processed = Photoshop 7
	M57 - Ring Nebula		Planetary Nebula M57 (NGC 6720), type 4+3, in Lyra. The famous ring nebula M57 is often regarded as the prototype of a planetary nebula, and a showpiece in the northern hemisphere summer sky. Recent research has confirmed that it is, most probably, actually a ring (torus) of bright light-emitting material surrounding its central star, and not a spherical (or ellipsoidal) shell, thus coinciding with an early assumption by John Herschel. Viewed from this equatorial plane, it would thus more resemble the Dumbbell Nebula M27 or the Little Dumbbell Nebula M76 than its appearance we know from here: We happen to view it from near one pole. Additional Info Messier Index M57	Camera = Meade DSI Exposure = 35X20.5 Sec Processed = Photoshop 6
	M76 - Little Dumbbell Nebula		Planetary Nebula M76 (NGC 650), type 3+6, in Perseus. M76 is among the fainter Messier objects. It is known under the names Little Dumbbell Nebula (the most common), Cork Nebula, Butterfly Nebula, and Barbell Nebula, and it was given two NGC numbers as it was suspected to be a double nebula with two components in contact, a hypothesis brought up by William Herschel, who numbered the "second component" H I.193 on November 12, 1787. NGC 651 is the North following (East) part of the nebula. Additional Info Messier Index M76	Camera = Meade DSI Exposure = 30X15 Sec Processed = Photoshop 6
	M78 - Diffuse Nebula		Diffuse Nebula M78 (NGC 2068), a reflection nebula, in Orion. As a reflection nebula, M78 is a cloud of interstellar dust which shines in the reflected and scattered light of bright blue (early B-type) stars, among them the brightest, HD 38563A, and second-brightest HDE 38563B, both of about 10th visual apparent magnitude. The nature of M78 as a reflection nebula was discovered by Vesto M. Slipher of Lowell Observatory in 1919 (Slipher 1919). At its distance, M78 measures almost 4 light years in extension. Additional Info Messier Index M78	Camera = Meade DSI Exposure = 45X15 Sec Processed = Photoshop 6
	M97 - Owl Nebula		Planetary Nebula M97 (NGC 3587), type 3a, in Ursa Major. M97 is one of the more complex planetary nebulae. Its appearance has been interpreted as that of a cylindrical torus shell (or globe without poles), viewed oblique, so that the projected matter-poor ends of the cylinder correspond to the owl's eyes. This shell is enveloped by a fainter nebula of lower ionization. The mass of the nebula has been estimated to amount 0.15 solar masses, while the 16 mag central star is believed to be of about 0.7 solar masses. Its dynamical age is about 6,000 years. (from Stephen J. Hynes, Planetary Nebulae). Additional Info Messier Index M97	Camera = Meade DSI Exposure = 50X15 Sec Processed = Photoshop 6

New	IC 434 and B33- Horse Head Nebula		Dark Nebula Barnard 33 in Orion. The remarkable Horsehead is a dark globule of dust and non-luminous gas, obscuring the light coming from behind, especially the moderately bright nebula IC 434. It is the most remarkable feature of an interesting region of diffuse nebulae, which belongs to a huge cloud of gas and dust situated 1,600 light years away in the direction of constellation Orion. The bright reflection nebula in the lower left is NGC 2023. Additional Info SEDS B33	Camera = Cannon 300D Exposure = 6X20Mins Processed = Photoshop 7
	NGC 2024 - Flame Nebula		Bright (emission and/or reflection) nebula in Orion. NGC 2024 is a large object with low surface brightness. It should be difficult to see in amateur scopes because of the low surface brightness. It's center is only about 15 arcmin from the lower left star in Orion's belt (Alnitak). Additional Info SEDS NGC Catalog	Camera = Meade DSI Exposure = 35X15 Sec Processed = Photoshop 6
New	NGC 7635 - Bubble Nebula		Bright (emission and/or reflection) nebula in Cassiopeia Additional Info SEDS NGC Catalog	Camera = Meade DSI Exposure = 70Frames X 60 Secs Processed = Photoshop 6 Conditions = Good/Transparency Fair

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