Nota Bene

It’s Beauty and the Beast sharing a crowded starfield.  The Tulip Nebula is cataloged as SH 2-101. It is only 6,000 light-years away towards our galactic centre, along our own spiral arm.  We see a crowded starfield and a predominant pink colour resulting from the abundance of ionized… Read more: The Tulip Nebula and the Cygnus X-1 Black Hole

The Cave Nebula confirms a trigger of star formation.  The Cave Nebula is cataloged a SH2-155. It is at the edge of Cepheus B, a cloud of interstellar gas and dust nearby (2,400 light-years) on our spiral arm of the galaxy. The Cave area itself, at the centre… Read more: The Secret Hidden in the Cave Nebula 

These elongated strands reveal their energy source.  NGC-7822 is a young star-forming complex nearby in our galaxy at 2,900 light-years distance. The widespread pink colour indicates energized hydrogen resulting from powerful young stars nearby. Amateur and professional astronomers study the elongated structures referred to as “Pillars of Creation”.… Read more: The Pillars of Creation in NGC-7822

NGC-4236 is best understood as a member of a group. NGC-4236 is a relatively small galaxy that appears irregular from our perspective. It likely has a single spiral arm and a central bar-shaped core. It is 14 million light-years from earth. It appears suitably large in most backyard… Read more: NGC-4236 and the M81 Group

A reflective nebula with a revealing pink blush. The Iris Nebula is a cold and dusty area illuminated by a powerful nearby star. It is 1,400 light-years distance from earth, and only about 6 light-years across.  It is considered a “reflective nebula”, as it is not hot enough to… Read more: The Iris Nebula is Dusty and Pink