NEBULAE
A "nebula" is an area of gassy, dusty material within a galaxy which for some reason is visible to us from our vantage point on Earth.  This usually means that the nebula is illuminated, either by the light energy (radiation) of stars embedded within it, or by absorbing energy from nearby stars and then re-emitting that energy as light of a specific wavelength (colour) or finally because the gas is hot and shines with its own energy.  Nebulae are often areas of new star formation and it is quite common for them to shine in spectacular colours as a result of the newly created stars which have formed inside them.  Others shine in delicate shades of blue and green because of the wavelength which is emitted by the decay of their excited energy state to a lower one.  Still others, usually those formed by supernova explosions (see the M1 images on this page) shine by virtue of their own residual energy, a leftover from that cataclysmic event which tore apart the star which gave them birth.

Liz and I love nebulae because of their fantastically variable shapes and colours and because they usually signify areas where there's "quite a bit going on".  Unfortunately, we cannot usually see their colours directly through our telescopes because our eyes are not sensitive to colour at the low light levels involved.  But take a picture using our CCD camera and the beautiful colours are easy to see.  

Which is your favourite nebula?  Do write and let us know.
Abell39_Web_25June2003.jpg (79877 bytes) The planetary nebula, ABELL 39, imaged with the C-14 and ST-8XE camera on 25th June, 2003.  The sky conditions were very poor for this object, but you can see the large number of tiny galaxies in the background, plus two tiny MAC galaxies "inside" the ring of the planetary.  There is a full sized image here (2.2Mb)
Horsehead_Web_30Nov2002.jpg (65834 bytes) B 33 and IC 434 - The famous "Horse Head Nebula" in Orion. The horse head is a dark gaseous cloud and is exceedingly difficult to see, which surprises and disappoints most people, who have seen photos and think they will see the same thing in a telescope. IC 434 is the nebulous "reef" from which B33 protrudes. This is a 25 minute image in red light.
Barnard_86_Web_27June2003.jpg (134857 bytes) Barnard 86, a famous dark nebula in the constellation of Sagittarius.  This is a particularly star-rich area of the sky and the open cluster NGC 6520 can be seen fairly close to the dark nebula.  This image was taken with our C-14 telescope at f/7 in June 2003.  A full sized image can be found here (1.35Mb).
Barnard 92 - 13 Oct 2001.jpg (106213 bytes) Barnard 92, a dark nebula in the star fields of Sagittarius.  The Milky Way is filled with these areas of dark nebulosity, caused by obscuring dust clouds.  This particular example has less well defined edges on the lower (western) side, where some background stars can be seen shining through.  The central star is magnitude 8.0 and the nebula is 15' x 7' in size.  This image was taken at f/8 and is an LRGB of 20mins:5mins:5mins:5mins
HH222 - 15 MARCH 2002.jpg (137975 bytes) A region of faint nebulosity in Orion, close to NGC 1999 and which has been the subject of some discussion in amateur and professional circles.  Known as HH 222, or more familiarly as "The Waterfall", it is the faint red nebulous strip in the center of the image.  This object is impossible to see visually, but this 15 minute image using our 4 inch refractor shows it up fairly well.
IC405_(FLAMING_STAR)_01JAN03.JPG (128233 bytes) IC 405 - the "Flaming Star" nebula in Auriga.  This area of Auriga surprised us with the amount of nebulosity which can be seen there.  This LRGB is 40:20:20:30 minutes, taken with the Takahashi FSQ at f/5.  Full resolution image (1.84Mb)
IC 5146-16 Oct 2001.jpg (272365 bytes) IC 5146, the "Cocoon" nebula.  Lying at the end of the two degree long dark nebula in Cygnus (Barnard 168), the Cocoon is very, faint and could only be located using the CCD camera.  The nebula derives its name from the faint, hazy nebulosity which surrounds the main, pink nebula, forming a kind of cocoon.    Exposure for this image was  30mins Luminance and 30mins for each of the colors, taken at f/8
IC5146_200607_Web.jpg (267192 bytes) IC 5146 with Barnard 168.  This image was taken in Spain on 20th June, 2007 with the Takahashi FSQ scope and the ST8-XE camera.  It is an LRGB of 20:20:20:20 minutes and shows very well the long dark lane of Barnard 168 leading up to the Cocoon nebula in the lower left corner.   Full resolution image (1.9Mb)
M1_231106_Web.jpg (186464 bytes) M1, the famous supernova remnant in Taurus.  Compare this image with the one below which we took some years ago through the C-14 telescope.  Since the original supernova explosion of 1054AD blew the star apart, the gaseous residue has been expanding at great velocity.  This object is hard to find in anything less than a dark sky, and it is not possible to see structure unless you image it.  This image is an LRGB of 60:30:30:30 minutes taken at f/7.  Full Resolution Image (1.1Mb)
M1 Master-Dec99.jpg (18565 bytes) M1 - the image referenced above, taken through the C-14 back in 1999. This monochrome image of the famous supernova remnant was taken at Terlingua in west Texas on 28th December 1999. It is a composite of twelve 30 second images and has been only lightly processed
M8_JM_Proc_Web.jpg (802477 bytes) MESSIER 8, the Lagoon Nebula in Sagittarius.  The image is an LRGB of 20:15:15:15 minutes, taken on 13th June, 2007 in Spain using the Takahashi FSQ scope and ST8-XE camera.  Full resolution image (1.4Mb)
M16_190607_Web.jpg (305738 bytes) MESSIER 16, the Eagle Nebula in Serpens.  This image was taken at f/5 with our FSQ-106 telescope and ST8-XE camera and is an LRGB of 20:10:10:10 minutes.  As with most of these nebulae, the colours are not visible in the telescope, and are only revealed when the colours are taken and combined on the image.  Full sized image (1.2Mb)
M17_210708_Web.jpg (126801 bytes) MESSIER 17, the Omega Nebula (also called the Swan Nebula) in Sagittarius.  To the north of M8 is the smaller M17.  In a telescope it looks like an Omega, and this effect is more marked when a filter is used.  A CCD image brings out a lot of detail surrounding the central object, but in a dark sky and using a filter most of this can be seen visually.  This LRGB image is a 30:25:25:25 minute composite.  Full Resolution Image (2.4Mb)
M20_200806_Web.jpg (207974 bytes) MESSIER 20, the Trifid Nebula - also in Sagittarius.  Located between M8 and M17, this beautiful nebula is particularly attractive, and we very much like the faint blue-ish nebulosity above the main object.  This LRGB image (1:1:1:1.6) has components of 26mins Luminance and 30mins for the colours.  The image was taken in Spain on 20th August 2006.  Full Resolution Image (1.3Mb)
M27_091007_Web.jpg (199306 bytes) Messier 27 - The "Dumbell" Nebula in Vulpecula.  An excellent example of a "planetary nebula", this image is an LRGB of 50:30:30:30 mins, taken on 30th September at our Spanish observatory using the C14 telescope.  The image was initially assembled in MaxIm and finished in Photoshop.  Full Resolution Image (1.6Mb)
M42_Web_03JAN03.jpg (135089 bytes) Messier 42 - An image of the great Orion Nebula, taken at Terlingua Ranch, Texas on 3rd January, 2003. This nebula is visible to the naked eye and looks magnificent in binoculars.  For this image we shot eighteen ten second white light images and eighteen each of the colors, stacked them electronically and then stretched the result in Photoshop.  Telescope was the FSQ-106 at f/5.   Full Resolution Image (0.8Mb)
  
M57_100806_Web.jpg (81958 bytes) Messier 57 - Our latest image of this 1,400 light years distant planetary, shot using the C14 at f/7 and the SBIG ST8-XE camera.  30 mins each of Luminance, Red, Green and Blue - taken 10th August 2006 from La Divisa Observatory, Spain.  Cropped image.  Full Resolution Image (0.6Mb)
M76_030107_Web.jpg (104921 bytes) M76 - Imaged at our Spanish observatory on 3rd January, 2007 this is our fourth attempt at this little gem. Camera was the SBIG ST-8XE and telescope was the C-14.  Notice the redness of the ends of the nebula and the loops of material. This is an LRGB image, with component balance of 120:30:30:30. The luminance was digitally processed and the final image adjusted in Photoshop.  Full Resolution Image (1.7Mb).  There is a cropped image here.
M78_30NOV2002.jpg (193426 bytes) M78 - Two 10th magnitude stars shine like headlights, or eyes out of the midst of  dark gaseous areas.  This is just one of Orion's areas of bright nebulosity and is an excellent example of a reflection nebula in which new star formation is taking place.  This LRGB image (10:5:5:5minutes) was taken in November 2002
M97_100307_Web.jpg (68617 bytes) Messier 97, the beautiful "Owl Nebula" in Ursa Major is situated close to the bright galaxy, Messier 108.  This interesting planetary nebula, which has a size about the same as Jupiter's disk, is fairly easy to see, but large telescopes are needed to spot the two "eyes" or dark areas which give the nebula its name.  Note the magnitude 16.1 galaxy MCG+9-19-14to the lower right of the nebula.  There is a full sized image here (1.5Mb)
NGC40_26DEC02.JPG (155763 bytes) NGC 40 in the circumpolar constellation of Cepheus is also known as the "Scarab" nebula because of its shape.  For this little fellow we binned the camera for all images and this LRGB is 10 minutes for each component.  Cloudy conditions and poor seeing have created a less than perfect image.
NGC 281 - 16 Oct 2001.jpg (106872 bytes) NGC 281 is an example of astronomical fun making.  It has been dubbed the "Pakman" nebula, after the electronic game character which was famous when I was a boy - or perhaps an old boy?  Located in the constellation of Cassiopeia, it is a combined cluster and emission nebula, and the mouth of the chomping head can be seen.  This is an LRGB image of 40:20:20:20 minutes taken at f/8
N1491_131001_Web.jpg (96575 bytes) NGC 1491 is an interestingly fan-shaped emission nebula in the constellation of Perseus.  The fan shape covers a diameter of about 6 arc minutes and there is an 11th magnitude star embedded just inside the eastern edge.  This image is an LRGB of 20:5:5:5 minutes at a focal ratio of f/8.  Full Resolution Image (0.6Mb)
N2174_171001_Web.jpg (128680 bytes) NGC 2174 is an emission nebula in the constellation of Orion.  This large, nebulous glow is embedded within open star cluster NGC 2175.  The nebula is 20 minutes of arc in diameter and the central star has a magnitude of 7.5.  This sort of nebula shows up particularly well if carefully processed, and this image is an LRGB of 30:10:10:10 minutes with the telescope operating at f/5.  Full Resolution Image (0.6Mb)
Rosette_291202_Web.jpg (323635 bytes) NGC 2237 forms part of the Rosette Nebula, a very large emission nebula in the constellation of Monoceros, covering an area four times that of the full moon.  It is easy to see how the Nebula got its name.  It is very faint, but strangely can be seen in a dark sky in low power binoculars.  The nebula glows strongly at the red end of the spectrum, and we have almost captured all of it in this image.    Full resolution image (2.4Mb)
NGC2359_01Dec03.jpg (120034 bytes) NGC 2359, an area of nebulosity in the constellation of Canis Major.  The sheer number of stars in this area of the sky makes it difficult to discern the nebula from the stellar background.  This LRGB image, taken with the Takahashi telescope and ST-8E camera, has an exposure of 40:20:20:30 minutes
Full resolution image (1.88Mb)
N2392_161107_Web.jpg (44553 bytes) NGC 2392 - The "Eskimo" or "Clown Face" nebula in Gemini.  This is an LRGB image of 12:5:5:5 minutes taken in Spain on 16th November, 2007 using the C14 and ST10-XME camera.  This is a particularly fine example of a planetary nebula, which are formed when sun-like stars age and lose their outer gas shells.   Full resolution image (1.9Mb)
N3242_010508_Web.jpg (33382 bytes) NGC 3242 in Hydra.  This lovely, blue-green coloured planetary nebula is also known as the "Ghost of Jupiter".  It is 75 arc seconds in diameter and we have zoomed in on the object for the image on the left.  The full resolution version (1.5Mb) is here.  The object is 2,600 light years away from us.  Image is an LRGB of 20:25:25:25 minutes with the C14 and ST10-XME camera taken on 1st May, 2008.
NGC6302_Web_27June2003.jpg (72675 bytes) NGC 6302 in the constellation of Scorpius.  This interesting object is also known as the "Bug" nebula, and it is particularly interesting because it has a very hot central star, at a temperature of 380,000 degrees C.  This LRGB image was taken on 27th June, 2003 in Terlingua, Texas using our C-14 telescope and ST-8XE camera.  There is a full sized image (750Kb) here.
N6334_210607_Web.jpg (240963 bytes) NGC 6334 in Scorpius.  This is an emission nebula complex with areas of nebula divided by dark lanes.  This is an LRGB of 10:10:10:10 minutes with the Takahashi FSQ and ST8-XE camera, taken on 21st June, 2007 in Spain.  Full resolution image (2.1Mb)
N6369_260708_Web.jpg (121357 bytes) NGC 6369 in Ophiuchus is a fascinating little planetary also know as "The Little Ghost".  In this image (an LRGB of 15:15:15:15 mins), you can see the FLIERS emanating from either end.  Full resolution image (3.9Mb)
N6543_170707_Crop.jpg (56179 bytes) NGC 6543 in Draco.  The famous "Cat's Eye" nebula.  The central star is 11th magnitude and the nebula is very small. This image is an LRGB of 10:10:10:10 mins with the C14 and ST10-XME. Full Resolution Image
NGC 6590 - 14 Oct 2001.jpg (86659 bytes) NGC 6589/6590 and 6595 in Sagittarius are a series of small nebulae lit by embedded stars. Our view towards the center of the Galaxy is obscured by extensive clouds of interstellar dust in the direction of the constellation of Sagittarius.  Light from bright stars within the dust in this region produces the two blue reflection nebulae (NGC 6589 and 6590) and NGC 6595 is the open star cluster surrounding them.  This image is an LRGB of 20:5:5:5 minutes taken at f/8
NGC 6726 - 7Sept2001.jpg (116965 bytes) NGC 6726 and 6729 in Corona Australis.  This area of the sky, close to the richest region of the Milky Way, is filled with interesting objects like these nebulae.  The brighter NGC 6726 and smaller 6729 are lit by stars embedded within them.  To the left is a dark nebula, known as Bernes 157.  The final blue component was taken separately, and in a fairly bright sky, and we plan to repeat this object in Spring 2002
N6726_240708_Web.jpg (161558 bytes) Another, more recent image of this area, taken in 2008.  The bright object in the centre is reflection nebulae NGC 6726 and 6727.  The little reddish chappie up and to the left is the reflection and emission variable nebula NGC 6729.  This is an LRGB of 10 minutes for each component using the C14 and ST10 camera.  Full resolution image (4Mb)
N6772_101007_Web.jpg (137406 bytes) NGC 6772 in Aquila.  This interestingly distorted planetary is about 1 arc minute diameter with a magnitude 18 central star.  This is an LRGB of 50:30:30:30 minutes, imaged on 10th October, 2007 with the C14 and ST10-XME camera.  Full Resolution Image (3Mb)
N6781_170907_Web.jpg (237483 bytes) NGC 6781 in the constellation of Aquila is a faint (magnitude 11.8) planetary nebula in Aquila.  This image was taken on 17th September, 2007 in Spain.  The nebula is 109 arc seconds in diameter is 2,600 light years distant and is expanding at the rate of 12 Km per second.  Full Resolution Image (3.0Mb)
N6826_280708_Web.jpg (39995 bytes) NGC 6826 in Cygnus is also known as the "Blinking Planetary" because of the way the central star is visible, but only with averted vision.  It is 25 arc seconds in diameter and is therefore quite a challenge for our equipment, especially to reproduce the inner shells.  Full resolution image (1.5Mb)
N6826_Shell.jpg (148165 bytes) Even more interesting is this very faint shell of material surrounding NGC 6826 and only visible when the blue or green images are highly stretched.  This is probably material ejected at an earlier phase of development of the nebula.
N6888_140707_Web.jpg (167835 bytes) NGC 6888 in Cygnus, also know as the Crescent Nebula.  The nebula surrounds a magnitude 7.4 Wolf-Rayet star and looks like a supernova remnant.  However, this object is actually part of an old planetary nebula, where an aging star has blown off its outer layers.  Only one part of this nebula is left illuminated for us to see.  This image is an LRGB of 60:30:30:30 minutes through the C14. Full Resolution Image (2.3Mb)
N6894_280708_Web.jpg (161620 bytes) NGC 6894 in Cygnus is a very red planetary with a faint star superimposed on part of the ring.  Visually it is described as "smoky grey" but as you can see in this image it is definitely quite red.  Full resolution image (4.1Mb)
NGC 6960 - 21 Dec 2001.jpg (241450 bytes) NGC 6960 in Cygnus.  We have long wanted to image the Veil Nebula in Cygnus.  Robert Gendler (website link from the front page) created a mosaic of the whole Veil a while back.  It is a supernova remnant and is very large.  Even with the FSQ working at f/5 we could only capture NGC 6960, which is part of the western side, but we are very pleased with the image
N7008_180707_Web.jpg (105716 bytes) NGC 7008 in Cygnus. This is a bluish planetary with an irregular halo and two conspicuous nodules.  There are two bright stars close by making imaging difficult.  This is an LRGB of 20:10:10:10 mins taken on 18th July 2007 in Spain.  Full Resolution Image (1.3Mb)
N7009_190707_Crop.jpg (25699 bytes) NGC 7009 - The SATURN NEBULA. An image of this most interesting planetary nebula, taken in Spain on 19th July, 2007 with the C14 and ST10-XME. Note the interesting "ears" or lobes, and the ring structure within the nebula. The nebula is a striking blue colour in a telescope. Full Resolution Image
N7026_280708_Web.jpg (99512 bytes) NGC 7026 in Cygnus is a fascinating object and has been dubbed by some "The Cheeseburger Nebula".  This image shows perhaps how it got its name.  Full resolution image (3.4Mb)
N7027_021008_Crop.jpg (208237 bytes) NGC 7027 in Cygnus.  Another fascinating planetary nebula, also sometimes known as the Magic Carpet nebula.   Distance from us is 3,600ly and size is 15 arc seconds.  This is an LRGB of 5 minutes for each component using the C14 at f/7 and ST10-XME camera.  Full resolution image (1.3Mb)
N7293_Helix_141107_Web.jpg (151824 bytes) NGC 7293 - the "Helix" nebula in Aquarius is quite faint but is easily seen in a good pair of binoculars. It is also very large and is only 300 light years distant from us.  This 60:30:30:30 LRGB image was taken in Spain on 14th November, 2007 using the Takahashi FSQ telescope at f/5 and ST8-XE camera.  Full resolution image (1.4Mb)
NGC 7538 - 17 Oct 2001.jpg (82597 bytes) NGC 7538 in Cepheus is another part of the "Bubble Nebula" complex.  Located in the same wide field as the Bubble (NGC 7635) and open cluster M52, this small nebula was actually imaged by us thinking we were imaging to Bubble (even genii make mistakes!).  It was only later that we realized we had shot the wrong object when we took a closer look at the field.  The image is an LRGB of 40:20:20:20 minutes taken at f/8
NGC 7635 - 18 Oct 2001.jpg (133748 bytes) NGC 7635 in Cassiopeia - also known as the Bubble Nebula, for reasons which should be obvious.  The bubble has been created by a massive, bright blue star which is emitting a fast stellar wind of ionized gas.  This wind is basically blowing bubbles by pushing surrounding material into a shell, which is then ionized and illuminated by the starlight.  The nebula is 6 light years across and this image is an LRGB of 50:20:20:20 minutes at f/5
N7662_191007_Web.jpg (214337 bytes) NGC 7662 in Andromeda, also known as the "Blue Snowball".  This LRGB of 45:25:25:25 minutes was taken with the C14 and ST10-XME camera on 19th October, 2007.  Full resolution image (0.5Mb)

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