All_About_Space_-_Issue_94_2020

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The Crescent Nebula (NGC 6888)

This magnitude 7.4 emission nebula has a

distinctive crescent shape in a low-power

telescope eyepiece. Around 5,000 light years away,

the nebula is best seen using averted vision.

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The Veil Nebula

The ghostly remains of a star that blew up

around 8,000 years ago, the Veil Nebula is 5th

magnitude, but it is so large and diffuse you’ll need a

telescope and a dark sky to see its faint, misty arcs.

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Messier 56

One of the faintest globular clusters in

Messier’s catalogue, magnitude 8.3 M56 can be

resolved almost to its centre through a telescope’s

high-power eyepiece.

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The Blinking Nebula (NGC 6826)

This magnitude 8.9 planetary nebula looks

like a small, blue-green oval in a large

telescope. Looking at and then away from its central

star makes the nebula appear to blink on and off.

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The Fireworks Galaxy (NGC 6946)

The curved arms of this beautiful face-on

spiral galaxy are best seen through the high-

power eyepiece of a large telescope. The galaxy is

ablaze with colourful areas of star formation.

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NGC 6803

At magnitude 11.5 this planetary nebula is so

faintyou’llneeda largetelescopeundera very

darkskytoseeitstiny,palebluedisc.Itismorethan

6,000lightyearsawayfromEarth.

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Vulpecula

Sagitta

Lacerta

Delphinus

Scutum

Serpens

Cauda

Cygnus

Ophiuchus

Hercules

Ly ra

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M56

Deep sky challenge

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