It is one of
the largest nebulas on the sky — why isn’t it better known? Roughly the same
angular size as the Andromeda Galaxy, the Great Lacerta Nebula can be found toward the constellation of the
Lizard (Lacerta). The emission nebula is difficult to see with wide-field binoculars
because it is so faint, but also usually difficult to see with a large telescope because it is so great in
angle — spanning about three degrees. The depth, breadth, waves, and beauty of the nebula — cataloged as Sharpless 126
(Sh2-126) — can best be seen
and appreciated with a long duration camera
exposure. The featured image is one
such combined exposure — in this case taken over three nights in August through
dark skies in Moses Lake, Washington, USA. The hydrogen gas in the Great Lacerta Nebula glows red because it is excited by light from the bright
star 10 Lacertae, one of the bright blue stars just to the left of the
red-glowing nebula’s center. Most of the stars and nebula are about 1,200 light years distant.
Image & info via APOD
Image Credit & Copyright: Ian Moehring & Kevin Roylance
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