The Crab Nebula

M1, the Crab Nebula, is the debris left by the death of a massive star when it exploded in a brilliant flash of light and energy nearly a thousand years ago. We can see many intricate details in the remains left by that supernova – wispy tendrils of gas and dust intertwine illuminated by the intense radiation emitted by the pulsar at its core.

The Skull Nebula

The Skull Nebula is another example of the remains left by a dying Sun-like star that has cast away its outer layers in a cosmic farewell, leaving behind hot, glowing complex shells of ionized gas. I’ve shared examples before of these so-called planetary nebulae, but the Skull is a particularly appropriate nickname for such an object!

The Jellyfish Nebula

The Jellyfish Nebula gets its name from its striking resemblance to the graceful tendrils of a jellyfish swimming through the cosmic sea. It is a testament to the dynamic and chaotic nature of the universe, where destruction begets creation on a mind boggling scale.

The Fossil Footprint Nebula

Here’s an image of NGC 1491 (also designated Sharpless Sh2-206), a faint emission nebula that has an interesting shape. Some sources give it the name Fossil Footprint nebula.

The Andromeda Galaxy

The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) is the closest spiral galaxy to our own Milky Way. It is visible to the naked eye as a faint smudge on a dark moonless night; it is impressive in a small telescope; but it takes a long exposure photograph to reveal its full extent and structure.

The Helix Nebula

The Helix Nebula is a stunning example of a planetary nebula -— a glowing shell of ionized gas expelled by a dying star. The star expels its outer layers of gas, leaving only its small, hot core. Radiation from the core energizes that gas, causing it to glow in a rainbow of colors. About 650 light-years away, the Helix is one of the closest and brightest such nebulae.

The Heart and Soul of the Night Sky

Is the heart and soul of our Galaxy located in the northern constellation Cassiopeia? Possibly not, but that is where two bright emission nebulas nicknamed Heart and Soul can be found – soulmates you could say. (Groan)

The Omega Nebula

M17, another vast region of interstellar gas and dust, is most commonly known as the Omega Nebula or the Swan Nebula. The complex measures 15 light-years across and is about 5,000 light-years from Earth.

The Wizard Nebula

The Wizard Nebula is a cosmic cloud surrounding open star cluster NGC 7380. Over the years it has earned its sorcerous nickname because of its similarity in appearance to a medieval magician in a pointed hat. (It does take a little imagination!)

The Tulip Nebula

The Tulip Nebula is a glowing cloud of interstellar gas and dust and gets its name from the flower it appears to resemble in photographs. While a pretty sight itself, the Tulip has an interesting neighbor.