Best Reflection Nebula
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The Rho Ophiuchi Cloud Complex is a dense nebula located within the constellations Ophiuchus and Scorpius. It’s recognized as an active star-forming region displaying vibrant reflection nebulae created by starlight illuminating dust clouds. This complex provides valuable insight into stellar birth p...
The Trifid Nebula, formally Messier 20, is a star-forming region within the Sagittarius constellation. It’s notable for exhibiting a complex blend of emission, reflection, and dark nebula characteristics all visible within a single object. This makes it an excellent target for amateur astronomers an...
The Iris Nebula is NGC 7023, a Cepheus reflection nebula discovered by William Herschel in 1794 and illuminated by the young star HD 200775.
The Witch Head Nebula is IC 2118, a faint Eridanus reflection nebula illuminated by Rigel and containing molecular gas and young T Tauri stars.
The Blue Horsehead Nebula is IC 4592, a reflection nebula in Scorpius noted for blue dust glow lit chiefly by the star Nu Scorpii.
The Cocoon Nebula is IC 5146, a Cygnus emission and reflection nebula linked with dark lane Barnard 168 and listed as Caldwell 19.
A reflection nebula in Orion just north of the Orion Nebula (M42), illuminated by a small cluster of hot blue stars and commonly captured in the same wide-field images as M42.
A bright reflection nebula in Cepheus illuminated by the hot star HD 200775, distinguished by its vivid blue coloration set against extensive surrounding dark nebulosity.
IC 4604 is the Rho Ophiuchi Nebula, a large Ophiuchus nebula illuminated by the Rho Ophiuchi star system in a nearby star-forming cloud.
The Flaming Star Nebula is IC 405, an Auriga emission and reflection nebula about 1,500 light-years away that surrounds the runaway star AE Aurigae.
NGC 1333 is a Perseus reflection nebula discovered by Eduard Schonfeld in 1855 and known as an active young star-forming region.
The Running Man Nebula is a reflection nebula complex in Orion, cataloged as NGC 1973, 1975, and 1977, noted for its dark runner-like silhouette.
Hubble's Variable Nebula is NGC 2261, a reflection nebula in Monoceros whose changing appearance was studied by Edwin Hubble in 1916.
The Cave Nebula is Sh2-155, a faint Cepheus H II region and Caldwell 9 object in the Cep OB3 complex, listed in the 1959 Sharpless catalogue.
NGC 1999 is an Orion reflection nebula lit by V380 Orionis; observations in 2009 showed its dark keyhole is an empty cavity, not dust.
The Ghost Nebula is Sh2-136 or vdB 141, a Cepheus reflection nebula and globule catalogued as CB230, with embedded stars lighting its dust.
Messier 78 is a reflection nebula in Orion discovered by Pierre Mechain in 1780, and is among the brightest reflection nebulae in the sky.
A faint reflection nebula in Eridanus roughly 900 light-years away, its blue color arises because it is illuminated by the nearby blue supergiant Rigel in the constellation Orion.
The Fox Fur Nebula is part of the NGC 2264 complex in Monoceros, a dusty emission and reflection region shaped by young stellar winds.
A fan-shaped reflection nebula in Monoceros that changes appearance over weeks to months, first recognized as variable by Edwin Hubble in 1916 and named in his honor for that discovery.
A reflection nebula in the Pleiades star cluster in Taurus, illuminated by the hot B-type star Maia and noted for its delicate dusty wisps threading through the cluster.
Wolf's Cave Nebula is LDN 673, a dark cloud in Aquila from Lynds' 1962 catalogue where a 2017 study reported twelve Herbig-Haro objects.
A small, bright reflection nebula in the Pleiades discovered by Edward Barnard in 1890, notable for lying unusually close to the star Merope and slowly approaching it.
A biconical reflection nebula in Carina surrounding the evolved red giant HD 65750, named for its resemblance to a traditional toby jug ceramic drinking vessel.
A variable reflection nebula in Taurus discovered by John Russell Hind in 1852, illuminated by the young variable star T Tauri and known to change in brightness and extent.
The first entry in Sidney van den Bergh's 1966 Catalog of Reflection Nebulae, a blue reflection nebula in Cassiopeia illuminated by the hot star BD+57°174.
