Dog-Star Observatory

NGC 7293, known as the Helix Nebula, is one of the closest and most studied planetary nebulae, lying only about 650 light-years away in the constellation Aquarius. Often called the “Eye of God” for its striking appearance, it is the remnant of a sun-like star that expelled its outer layers at the end of its life. Spanning over 2.5 light-years across, it is so large and nearby that it covers an area of the sky nearly half the size of the full Moon. At its center glows a hot white dwarf star, illuminating the surrounding gas and dust in vivid hues of blue, green, and red. The Helix offers astronomers a preview of the distant fate of our own Sun

NGC 6960, nicknamed the Witch’s Broom Nebula, is a bright filamentary portion of the Veil Nebula supernova remnant in the constellation Cygnus. Located about 1,500 light-years away, it marks the expanding shock wave from a massive star that exploded roughly 8,000 years ago. The nebula’s delicate strands of glowing gas trace the edges of the blast wave as it collides with the interstellar medium, producing brilliant colors: red from hydrogen, blue-green from oxygen. Running through the nebula is the bright star 52 Cygni, which lies in the foreground but adds to the nebula’s striking appearance. NGC 6960 is a favorite astrophotography target and a vivid reminder of the life cycle of stars.

NGC 6992/IC 1340 – Eastern Veil Nebula NGC 6992, together with IC 1340, forms the spectacular eastern arc of the Veil Nebula in the constellation Cygnus, about 1,500 light-years from Earth. Like NGC 6960, it is part of the remnants of a massive star that exploded around 8,000 years ago. The expanding shock wave has created long, delicate filaments of glowing gas, appearing almost like lace against the starry backdrop of the Milky Way. Bright emission from hydrogen and oxygen give the nebula its vivid red and blue-green colors, making it a favorite subject for astrophotographers. The eastern Veil is often considered the most dramatic portion of the entire supernova remnant, with intricate tendrils and overlapping arcs.

NGC 6207 is a small, elongated spiral galaxy in the constellation Hercules, lying about 30 million light-years from Earth. With an apparent magnitude of about 11.4, it appears as a faint oval glow in moderate telescopes. This galaxy is especially popular with observers because it lies only 28 arcminutes northeast of the bright globular cluster M13, often appearing in the same telescope field of view. Its tilted orientation reveals a bright central core and faint spiral structure, offering a striking contrast to the densely packed stars of M13 nearby. The juxtaposition of the two objects—one within our Milky Way, the other far beyond—makes NGC 6207 a powerful visual reminder of the depth of the cosmos.

NGC 7023 – The Iris Nebula NGC 7023, known as the Iris Nebula, is a bright reflection nebula in the constellation Cepheus, about 1,400 light-years away. Its luminous blue glow comes from starlight reflecting off dust grains surrounding a young, hot star (HD 200775) at its center. The nebula’s intricate structure includes dark lanes of obscuring dust and subtle reddish emission from hydrogen excited by ultraviolet radiation. The Iris lies in a region of active star formation, with the surrounding molecular clouds serving as raw material for new stars. With an apparent magnitude of about 6.8, it is one of the brightest reflection nebulae in the sky and a favorite target for both visual observers and astrophotographers.

NGC 7635 – The Bubble Nebula & Sh2-159 NGC 7635, famously called the Bubble Nebula, is a striking emission nebula in the constellation Cassiopeia, lying about 7,100 light-years away. The “bubble” itself is a shell of glowing gas, blown by fierce stellar winds from a massive, hot O-type star (SAO 20575) at its center. The nebula spans roughly 7 light-years, with brilliant arcs of hydrogen and oxygen emission outlining the bubble against a backdrop of interstellar clouds. Nearby is Sh2-159, a diffuse H II region that glows from the ionization of hydrogen gas by clusters of young stars. The two objects together showcase the raw power of stellar birth and death, with winds and radiation sculpting the surrounding interstellar medium. The Bubble Nebula shines at an apparent magnitude of ~10, making it a challenge visually but an extraordinary astrophotography target.

NGC 6888 – The Crescent Nebula NGC 6888, known as the Crescent Nebula, is an emission nebula in the constellation Cygnus, about 5,000 light-years away. It was formed by the powerful stellar winds from a massive Wolf–Rayet star (WR 136), which is nearing the end of its life. These winds slam into material the star shed in an earlier red supergiant phase, creating a glowing shell of gas shaped like a luminous crescent. The nebula spans about 25 light-years across and glows in rich hues of hydrogen (red) and oxygen (blue-green), making it a prime astrophotography target in the Milky Way’s star fields. With an apparent magnitude of about 7.4, it is faint visually but reveals its intricate arcs and filaments in long-exposure images. The Crescent Nebula offers a preview of the violent fate awaiting massive stars before they end in a supernova explosion.

NGC 2024, IC 432, and NGC 2023 This rich region of Orion, about 1,300 light-years away, contains several striking nebulae shaped by star birth and starlight. The largest and brightest is NGC 2024, the Flame Nebula, whose fiery glow comes from hydrogen gas ionized by the nearby star Alnitak, with dark dust lanes silhouetted across its light. Behind the dust, a young open cluster of stars is still forming. Nearby lies IC 432, a small and faint reflection nebula of magnitude ~13, which shines by reflecting the light of nearby stars and adds subtle contrast to the bright Flame. Completing the trio is NGC 2023, one of the brightest reflection nebulae in the sky (magnitude ~10), glowing blue from the light of its hot central star HD 37903. This nebula is especially important to astronomers as it contains brilliant emission features from molecular hydrogen, offering a close look at the physical processes of star formation. Together, these three nebulae form a spectacular tapestry of glowing gas and dust in Orion, showcasing both the power and delicacy of stellar creation.

NGC 281W – Part of the Pacman Nebula NGC 281W is a bright star-forming knot within the larger emission nebula NGC 281, nicknamed the Pacman Nebula, in the constellation Cassiopeia about 9,500 light-years away. The entire nebula glows with hydrogen emission and is sculpted by massive young stars of the open cluster IC 1590 at its core. NGC 281W designates a prominent condensation in the western portion of the nebula, where dense clouds of gas and dust are giving rise to new stars. Astronomers find regions like this especially interesting because they reveal the fine structure of star formation, with dark Bok globules, bright ridges, and ionization fronts all present. At about magnitude 7.4 for the whole complex, the Pacman is a favorite astrophotography target, and NGC 281W highlights the intricate details that make it so spectacular.

IC 1805 – The Heart Nebula IC 1805, called the Heart Nebula for its striking shape, is a vast emission nebula in the constellation Cassiopeia, about 7,500 light-years away. Spanning nearly 200 light-years across, it glows in rich shades of red from ionized hydrogen gas energized by young, massive stars. At the nebula’s core lies the open cluster Melotte 15, whose brilliant, hot stars are only a few million years old. Their fierce radiation and stellar winds carve intricate shapes into the surrounding clouds of gas and dust, creating pillars, ridges, and cavities. The Heart Nebula is a classic example of a stellar nursery, where the same forces that sculpt the nebula also trigger the birth of new stars. Dark dust lanes thread through the glowing gas, adding contrast and depth to its appearance. With an overall apparent magnitude of about 6.5, it is faint to the naked eye but a breathtaking subject for wide-field astrophotography. Together with its neighbor IC 1848—the Soul Nebula—it forms the famous Heart and Soul pair in Cassiopeia, a favorite among deep-sky observers.

IC 1848 – The Soul Nebula IC 1848, nicknamed the Soul Nebula, is a massive emission nebula about 7,500 light-years away in the constellation Cassiopeia. Stretching nearly 150 light-years across, it glows with hydrogen light energized by several embedded star clusters, including the young open cluster IC 1848 itself. These newborn stars, only a few million years old, sculpt the nebula’s gas and dust into pillars, ridges, and cavities, much like those in the neighboring Heart Nebula. The Soul Nebula’s flowing shape has earned it other nicknames such as the Embryo Nebula, hinting at its appearance in wide-field images. With an overall magnitude of ~6.5, it is too faint for the eye but a prime target for astrophotographers, especially when captured alongside IC 1805 to form the famous Heart and Soul Nebulae. Together, they highlight the immense scale and beauty of star-forming regions in our Milky Way.

IC 5070 – The Pelican Nebula IC 5070, known as the Pelican Nebula, is a large emission nebula in the constellation Cygnus, lying about 2,000 light-years away. Its nickname comes from its resemblance to a pelican in wide-field images. The nebula is part of the same vast star-forming complex as the North America Nebula (NGC 7000), with both separated by a dark band of interstellar dust. The Pelican Nebula is especially rich in areas of active star formation. Ultraviolet radiation from nearby hot stars ionizes the hydrogen gas, causing it to glow red, while powerful stellar winds carve out intricate ridges and dark, finger-like clouds known as “elephant trunks.” These structures are collapsing under their own gravity and giving rise to new generations of stars. With an apparent magnitude of about 8.0, IC 5070 is too faint to see unaided, but its detailed structure makes it a favorite astrophotography subject and a striking companion to the North America Nebula.

Sh2-140 Sh2-140 is a bright emission nebula in the constellation Cepheus, lying about 3,000 light-years away. It is part of a large molecular cloud complex on the edge of the Cepheus Bubble, a vast cavity in the interstellar medium likely blown out by ancient supernovae and stellar winds. The nebula glows red in hydrogen light, excited by the radiation from young, massive stars that have recently formed within its dense clouds. Embedded in Sh2-140 are clusters of protostars and deeply enshrouded young stellar objects, making it an active stellar nursery. Dark lanes of dust cut through the glowing gas, creating striking contrasts in astrophotographs. With an apparent magnitude of about 9.0, Sh2-140 is faint visually but reveals its complex structure in long-exposure images. Astronomers study it closely to better understand how new stars emerge from the collapse of giant molecular clouds.

IC 434 – The Horsehead Nebula Region IC 434 is a long ribbon of faint emission nebula in the constellation Orion, about 1,500 light-years away. It is best known as the glowing red backdrop against which the Horsehead Nebula (Barnard 33) is silhouetted. The nebula’s light comes from hydrogen gas ionized by the nearby bright star Sigma Orionis, creating a diffuse crimson glow that stretches south of Alnitak, the easternmost star in Orion’s Belt. The striking contrast between IC 434’s gentle red glow and the dark dust cloud of the Horsehead makes this region one of the most iconic sights in the night sky. Although the nebula itself has an apparent magnitude of about 7, its surface brightness is very low, making it difficult to observe visually. In astrophotographs, however, IC 434 reveals its true richness, serving as the stage upon which the Horsehead Nebula stands out in silhouette.

NGC 1499 – The California Nebula NGC 1499, nicknamed the California Nebula for its resemblance to the outline of the U.S. state, is a vast emission nebula in the constellation Perseus. It lies about 1,000 light-years away and spans nearly 100 light-years in length, making it one of the largest emission nebulae visible in our sky. Its reddish glow comes from hydrogen gas ionized by the hot, bright O-type star Xi Persei (Menkib), which illuminates the surrounding interstellar material. With an apparent magnitude of about 5.0, the nebula is bright in total light but has such low surface brightness that it is difficult to detect visually except under very dark skies with wide-field optics. Long-exposure photography reveals its flowing structure, dark dust lanes, and bright ridges of glowing gas. Because of its immense size and delicate contrasts, the California Nebula is a favorite for astrophotographers using wide-field telescopes and telephoto lenses, capturing the grandeur of one of our galaxy’s closest star-forming regions.

NGC 6823 NGC 6823 is a young open star cluster embedded in the emission nebula NGC 6820, located in the constellation Vulpecula about 6,000 light-years away. The cluster, only a few million years old, contains many hot, massive O- and B-type stars whose radiation sculpts the surrounding clouds of gas and dust into striking shapes. Dark pillars and bright ridges in the nearby nebula are classic signs of ongoing star formation, where gravity is collapsing dense knots of gas into new stars. At an apparent magnitude of ~7.1, NGC 6823 is faint but accessible in small telescopes. For astrophotographers, the pairing of the compact star cluster with the larger glowing nebula makes it a spectacular deep-sky field. Astronomers study this region as a snapshot of the early stages of stellar evolution, where the interaction of newborn stars and their natal clouds creates a vivid portrait of star birth in our galaxy.

NGC 2244 – The Rosette Cluster NGC 2244 is a young open cluster of stars lying at the heart of the Rosette Nebula (Caldwell 49), a vast emission nebula in the constellation Monoceros. Located about 5,200 light-years away, the cluster is only a few million years old and contains many hot O- and B-type stars. Their fierce ultraviolet radiation and stellar winds have carved out a central cavity in the surrounding nebula, shaping its iconic rose-like appearance. The surrounding Rosette Nebula spans more than 100 light-years across and glows in hydrogen light, threaded with dark dust lanes and pillars. Together, the cluster and nebula form one of the most famous star-forming regions in the Milky Way. With an apparent magnitude of ~4.8, NGC 2244 is bright enough to be seen with binoculars, while astrophotography reveals the breathtaking symmetry of the Rosette. This pairing highlights how young stars both illuminate and sculpt their birth clouds into intricate structures.

Nebula around HIP 11505. HIP 11505 is a star cataloged in the Hipparcos mission, located in the constellation Aries about 175 light-years from Earth. With an apparent magnitude of roughly 7.1, it is just below naked-eye visibility but easily seen in binoculars or a small telescope. Classified as a G-type main-sequence star, it is similar to our Sun in temperature and spectral characteristics, though somewhat fainter and older.

NGC 2237 – Part of the Rosette Nebula
NGC 2237 is a large emission nebula in the constellation Monoceros, about 5,200 light-years away. It forms part of the famous Rosette Nebula (Caldwell 49), a vast cloud of glowing hydrogen gas that spans over 100 light-years. The nebula’s intricate structure is shaped by the radiation and winds from the young, massive stars of the central open cluster NGC 2244, which has carved out a wide central cavity. NGC 2237 highlights one of the brightest sections of this enormous complex, where dense knots of gas and dust form dramatic dark lanes and bright ridges. With an overall magnitude of ~9, the nebula is best revealed through long-exposure photography, which brings out its deep crimson hues and delicate petal-like shapes. Together, NGC 2237, the Rosette Nebula, and the embedded cluster NGC 2244 form one of the most celebrated sights in Monoceros.

NGC 1893 – Star Cluster in the Tadpole Nebula NGC 1893 is a young open cluster of hot, massive stars embedded within the emission nebula IC 410, also known as the Tadpole Nebula, in the constellation Auriga. Located about 12,000 light-years away, the cluster is only a few million years old and serves as the engine that lights up the surrounding cloud of gas. Its radiation and stellar winds sculpt the nebula into dramatic forms, most famously the two long, dark structures known as the “Tadpoles,” which are dense regions of gas and dust collapsing to form new stars. The interplay between NGC 1893 and the Tadpole Nebula makes this region a vivid example of stellar feedback, where young stars shape and influence the very environment that gave birth to them. With an apparent magnitude of ~7.5, the cluster can be seen in small telescopes, though the glowing nebula requires long-exposure imaging to reveal its full beauty. For astronomers, it offers a glimpse into the cycle of star birth and the sculpting of interstellar clouds by massive stars.

IC 405 – The Flaming Star Nebula IC 405, known as the Flaming Star Nebula, is a striking emission and reflection nebula in the constellation Auriga, about 1,500 light-years away. It glows both from hydrogen gas ionized by nearby hot stars and from starlight reflecting off surrounding dust, giving it a mix of vivid red and soft blue hues. The nebula spans about 5 light-years across and has an apparent magnitude of ~6, making it a popular astrophotography target. At its heart lies the runaway O-type star AE Aurigae, whose intense radiation lights up the nebula. Interestingly, AE Aurigae is not native to this region—it was likely ejected from the Orion Nebula millions of years ago during a violent gravitational interaction and has been blazing through space ever since. Its passage through the gas cloud that became IC 405 is what gives rise to the nebula’s fiery appearance, making this object a cosmic story of both motion and illumination.

Nebula around V569 Monocerotis V569 Monocerotis is a variable star in the constellation Monoceros, surrounded by a faint reflection and emission nebula. The glowing cloud, located roughly 3,000 light-years away, is lit by the star itself and nearby young stellar companions, whose ultraviolet light energizes the surrounding hydrogen gas while their starlight reflects off interstellar dust. The result is a delicate patch of bluish and reddish nebulosity that blends into the larger complex of nebulae in Monoceros, a region rich in stellar nurseries. The nebula is not as well-known as grand objects like the Rosette nearby, but it illustrates on a smaller scale the same processes of star formation and feedback. Variable stars such as V569 Monocerotis provide astronomers with a way to study stellar evolution in action, while their surrounding nebulae offer clues about the material left over from their birth. Though faint at magnitude ~10–11, long-exposure images reveal its subtle beauty and role in the great tapestry of star-forming regions across Monoceros.

NGC 2071 NGC 2071 is a bright reflection nebula in the constellation Orion, located about 1,350 light-years away. It lies just north of the famous Orion Nebula (M42) and is part of the larger Orion Molecular Cloud Complex, one of the richest star-forming regions in the Milky Way. The nebula glows with a soft bluish light as it reflects radiation from the young, hot stars embedded within it, most notably the pre-main-sequence stars and protostars still forming inside dense molecular gas. Astronomers study NGC 2071 closely because it contains powerful outflows and jets from newborn stars, visible in both optical and infrared observations. These outflows carve channels in the surrounding material, revealing the dramatic processes of stellar birth. With an apparent magnitude of ~8, the nebula is faint but accessible in medium telescopes, while long-exposure photography reveals its complex interplay of dust, gas, and starlight. Together with neighboring nebulae like NGC 2068 and M78, NGC 2071 forms part of a striking chain of reflection nebulae in Orion.

NGC 3628 (Hamburger Galaxy): NGC 3628 is a striking edge-on spiral galaxy in Leo, best known for its thick dark dust lane that slices across its bright central bulge. It’s part of the famous Leo Triplet (with M65 and M66), and long exposures can reveal faint tidal distortions and a subtle extended halo caused by gravitational interactions with its neighbors. Visually it often looks like a thin glowing “sliver,” but imaging brings out its dramatic structure and dusty midplane.

The Cone Nebula (NGC 2264 region): The Cone Nebula is a classic star-forming region in the constellation Monoceros, where dense cold gas and dust form a dark, cone-shaped pillar silhouetted against glowing hydrogen. It lies within the larger NGC 2264 complex, which also includes the Christmas Tree Cluster, and the entire region is lit and sculpted by energetic radiation from young, hot stars. The “cone” itself is a small part of a much larger nursery of newborn stars and swirling interstellar material.

Flame Nebula (NGC 2024): The Flame Nebula is a bright emission nebula in Orion located very close to Alnitak, the easternmost star in Orion’s Belt. Its warm reddish glow comes from hydrogen gas excited by intense ultraviolet radiation, while dark dust lanes cut through it, creating the flame-like texture that gives it its name. The region is actively forming stars, and in deeper images you can often see complex filaments and knots of dust that look like smoke drifting through fire.

Horsehead Nebula (Barnard 33): The Horsehead Nebula is one of the sky’s most famous dark nebulae, appearing as a horse-head-shaped silhouette against the bright red background of the IC 434 emission nebula in Orion. The “head” is made of thick, opaque dust that blocks the light behind it, while faint edges glow where starlight grazes the surrounding gas. It’s a small feature in a much larger molecular cloud complex, and it’s slowly evolving as radiation from nearby hot stars erodes and reshapes it over time.

Messier 3 is one of the Milky Way’s great globular clusters, a densely packed spherical swarm of hundreds of thousands of ancient stars located in Canes Venatici. Through a telescope it appears as a bright, concentrated ball of light, and with enough aperture it resolves into countless pinpoint stars toward the edges. M3 is also famous for containing many variable stars, and it stands as a beautiful example of the old stellar populations that orbit far out in our galaxy’s halo.

Messier 74 is a beautiful “grand design” spiral galaxy in Pisces, seen almost perfectly face-on, which makes its symmetric spiral arms a favorite target for imaging. Because its light is spread out across a wide area, it has low surface brightness and can look faint visually, especially under light pollution, but long exposures reveal delicate blue star-forming arms and pinkish H-II regions sprinkled through the disk. It lies about 30 million light-years away and is a classic example of a clean, well-structured spiral galaxy.

Messier 76 (M76, Little Dumbbell Nebula): M76 is a planetary nebula in Perseus, formed when a dying Sun-like star shed its outer layers into space, leaving behind a hot core that makes the gas glow. It’s nicknamed the “Little Dumbbell” because its brighter central region resembles a tiny version of M27, while faint extended lobes stretch outward like wings. In images you can often see a mix of bluish-green oxygen emission with red hydrogen, giving it a layered, otherworldly look.

NGC 253 (Sculptor Galaxy): NGC 253 is one of the brightest galaxies outside the Local Group and a showpiece object in the constellation Sculptor, famous for its dusty, mottled appearance and intense starburst activity. Seen at a steep angle, it shows dark dust lanes and clumpy star-forming regions that give it a textured, “stormy” look in photos. It’s relatively close at around 11 million light-years away, and its bright core and rich detail make it a rewarding target even from moderately light-polluted skies.

NGC 1624 is a small, compact open star cluster in Perseus embedded in a faint emission nebula, often cataloged as Sharpless 2-212. The cluster is dominated by a very hot, young massive star that powers the surrounding glow, while dark dust and uneven gas density give the nebula a patchy, textured look in long exposures. It’s a distant and relatively challenging target, but imaging can reveal a tiny “island” of star formation surrounded by a much larger sea of darkness.

Sh2-274 (Medusa Nebula): Sh2-274, commonly called the Medusa Nebula, is a large and ancient planetary nebula in Gemini, created when a dying star expelled its outer layers into space. Over time the shell has expanded and become thin and filamentary, producing delicate arcs and tangled strands of glowing gas that can look like drifting hair or smoke. It’s a faint object that rewards longer integration, and it’s a great example of how planetary nebulae evolve from compact, bright shapes into wide, ghostly structures.

The Running Man Nebula (NGC 1977): The Running Man Nebula is a reflection nebula just north of the Orion Nebula (M42), glowing mostly from starlight scattered by dust rather than from hydrogen emission. It’s part of a complex region of gas and dust in Orion, with bluish tones and dark lanes that create the famous “running man” shape in photographs. Because it sits so close to the bright M42 area, it’s often captured together in wide-field images that show Orion’s incredible depth and structure.

Professor — Thor’s Helmet (NGC 2359) is a dramatic emission nebula in Canis Major shaped by powerful winds from a hot Wolf–Rayet star near its center. Those fast stellar winds slam into surrounding gas, carving out a bright bubble with curved “horns” and filaments that really do resemble a winged helmet. In images it often shows strong blue-green oxygen emission with red hydrogen around the edges, making it one of the most striking and otherworldly nebulae in the winter sky.