• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Cosmic Pursuits

Basic astronomy and night sky information

  • Subscribe
  • Start Here
  • Articles
  • Sky This Month
  • Courses
  • About
  • Contact

dark nebula

The Elephant Trunk Nebula

August 25, 2021 by Brian Ventrudo Filed Under: Deep Sky

The nebula IC1396, embedded star cluster Trumpler 37, and red supergiant star Mu Cephei (at extreme right). The nebula gets its power from the star HD206267 near the center of this image. The tip of the Elephant Trunk Nebula lies just below and left of center.

Cepheus, the King, is an ancient and rather dim constellation, but its position along the northern Milky Way means it harbors more than its share of deep-sky sights including star clusters, nebulae, even the lovely Fireworks galaxy (NGC 6946). But the best field of view in the constellation encompasses three deep-sky sights including a star-forming nebula, star cluster, and an aging red supergiant that’s one of the reddest and most luminous stars in the sky [Read more…] about The Elephant Trunk Nebula

Share This:
Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmail

Filed Under: Deep Sky dark nebula

The Taurus Molecular Cloud

January 25, 2021 by Brian Ventrudo Filed Under: Deep Sky

The Taurus Molecular Cloud, to the lower left of the Pleiades and lower right of the California Nebula in this wide-field image. The Hyades star cluster in Taurus is at middle right; the star Capella in the constellation Auriga is the bright star at left. Image credit: Brian Ventrudo

Not far from the Pleiades and Hyades star clusters along the northern Milky Way lies the coal-black fingers of the Taurus Molecular Cloud, the nearest star-forming region to Earth. Unlike the more famous Orion star factory, with the dazzling Orion Nebula and associated bright blue-white stars, the TMC is not well known to most stargazers. That’s because it doesn’t offer much to see, with no bright nebulae and just a dark and sooty network of tendrils that span more than 30o of sky. But the TMC is the nearest star-forming region to Earth, making it of considerable interest to astronomers. It’s also a rewarding target for astrophotographers who can capture its structure against the starry background in the constellations Taurus and Auriga [Read more…] about The Taurus Molecular Cloud

Share This:
Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmail

Filed Under: Deep Sky dark nebula, reflection nebula, taurus

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to Cosmic Pursuits

Subscribe to our e-mail newsletter for free astronomy tips and updates

Featured Astronomy Course

Search This Site

Recent Posts

  • A Telescope Tour of the Radcliffe Wave
  • The Full Moon Occults Mars at Opposition
  • Milky Way Photography on Medium-Format Film – A Q&A With James Cormier
  • Guide to Observing Mars in 2022
  • Waning October Moon and Autumn Leaves

Copyright © 2023 Mintaka Publishing Inc.