Nebula

Located roughly 3,300 light-years away in the constellation Cepheus, let’s set our sights on a particularly stunning reflection nebula known as NGC 7129. NGC 7129 isn’t your average nebula. Unlike its emission nebula cousins that produce their own light, NGC 7129 reflects the light from a young, energetic star cluster at its heart.

The star cluster within NGC 7129 is an infant in stellar terms. Most of its member stars are estimated to be less than a million years old. These stellar newborns are actively sculpting their surroundings, blasting away at the surrounding gas and dust with their strong stellar winds. This stellar sculpting has formed a cavity within the nebula, giving it a distinctive rosebud-like appearance.

The nebula is faint and small. Imaging this beauty requires a significant amount of time to capture the intricate details.

The Spider Nebula, also referenced as IC 417 and SH2-234, is an emission nebula located in the constellation Auriga, the Charioteer. It’s an example of a stellar nursery, where new stars are being born. Some of the more famous nebula are also stellar nurseries, including the Orion Nebula, the Lagoon Nebula, theEagle Nebula, and the Trifid Nebula.

Located roughly 10,000 light-years away, IC 417 is a spectacular emission nebula. Emission nebulae are clouds of gas and dust that glow due to the energetic radiation from young, hot stars embedded within them. In the case of IC 417, these stars are responsible for illuminating the surrounding gas and sculpting it into wispy tendrils and pillars.

Nestled in the constellation Auriga, the Flaming Star Nebula (IC405) isn’t just a celestial object, it’s a photographer’s siren song. Its wispy tendrils glisten under the watchful eye of AE Aurigae, a young, hot star casting its fiery glow upon the molecular cloud. But capturing this cosmic masterpiece on your camera requires more than just pointing your camera and clicking.

The constellation Cygnus has a stellar nursery called the Cocoon Nebula; which looks like a chicken’s face. This reflection/emission nebula is more than just a pretty picture; it’s a laboratory of life, where swirling dust and gas morph into blazing suns.

The Cocoon Nebula, also known as IC5146, Caldwwell 19, SH 2-125, and Barnard 168 is 3,262 light year away and an excellent target for astrophotographers.