What is a Nebula? Part 5, Common Names for Nebulae P-Z and Their Information
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© Copyright 2011 Cindy Murdoch (homesteadbound)
What is a nebula? Nebula in Latin means “cloud”. A nebula is a mist or a cloud of gases and dust. Supernova explosions and their remnants that remain often create nebulas. Other nebulas are created when gravitational forces put dust and gases together. Many nebulas are stellar nurseries – the places where stars are born.
This segment includes the common names of nebula beginning with the letters, P through Z. Below this section you will find a listing for these nebula. As you view this list you will notice that they have ordinary names like Spirograph, Stingray, Tarantula and Pelican. The stunning V838 Monocerotis Nebula is found in this group of nebula.
This nebula series’ introduction, What is a Nebula? Part 1, Different Kinds of Nebula, discusses the different types of nebula and their classifications. A comprehensive alphabetical listing of all the nebula’s common names can be found in that introduction. If you need to locate a specific nebula, just locate its name on that list, click on its name, and you will be taken directly to that nebula’s description.
Nebulae Listing P - Z
A listing of the nebula beginning with the letters P through Z is below. If you wish to advance to a particular nebula on this list, just click on it and you will be taken directly to it. Once at a nebula’s description, a link is provided to allow you to find more information concerning that nebula.
Pelican Nebula, IC 5070, IC 5067
Name: Pelican Nebula, IC 5070, IC 5067
Type of Nebula: emission nebula
Distance from Earth: approximately 2,000 light years
In Constellation: Cygnus
Size:
Notes: This nebula is slowly changing shape and size because young energetic stars are causing cold gases to heat up which causes an ionization front to gradually move outward
For more information about this nebula, especially another picture with an explanation of how it looks like a pelican, click here.
Pencil Nebula, NGC 2736
Name: Pencil Nebula, NGC 2736
Type of Nebula: supernova remnant
Distance from Earth: approximately 800 light years
Size: approximately 5 light years long
For more information: click here
Red Rectangular Nebula, HD 44179
Name: Red Rectangular Nebula, HD 44179
Type of Nebula: protoplanetary nebula
Distance from Earth: approximately 2300 light years
In Constellation: Monoceros
For more information about this nebula including its shape, its color and its ladder-like formation, click here.
Red Square Nebula
Name: Red Square Nebula
Type of Nebula: protoplanetary nebula
Distance from Earth: approximately 5,000 light years
In Constellation: Serpens
Notes: Scientists are not sure how the Red Square Nebula was formed, but it is so symmetrical that a scientist has deemed it as being "almost perfect". It is felt that it may be caused by two conical explosions and if viewed from a different angle may appear to be circular.
For more information: click here
Ring Nebula, M57, NGC 6720
Name: Ring Nebula, M57, NGC 6720
Type of Nebula: planetary nebula
In Constellation: Lyra
For more information: click here
In the video below, NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope finds the Ring Nebula to look like a delicate flower.
Rosette Nebula, Caldwell 49
Name: Rosette Nebula, Caldwell 49
Type of Nebula: large H II Region emission nebula
Distance from Earth: approximately 5,200 light years
In Constellation: Monoceros region of the Milky Way Galaxy
Size: about 130 light years in diameter
Notes: This nebula is so large it is estimated to be approximately 10,000 times the mass of our sun
For more information: click here
The video below shows gorgeous footage of this nebula.
Spirograph Nebula, IC 418
Name: Spirograph Nebula, IC 418
Type of Nebula: planetary nebula
Distance from Earth: approximately 2000 light years
In Constellation:
Size: small - approximately .1 light year in diameter
Notes: If you are familiar with the Spirograph, a toy using disks to create intricate geometric patterns, it is easy to see why this nebula was named such.
For more information: click here
Stingray Nebula
Name: Stingray Nebula
Type of Nebula: the youngest known planetary nebula
Distance from Earth: approximately 18,000 light years
Notes: The Stingray Nebula is about 130 times the size of our solar system but is extremely small compared to most planetary nebula (about 1/10 the size).
For more information: click here
Tarantula Nebula, 30 Doradus, NGC 2070
Name: Tarantula Nebula, 30 Doradus, NGC 2070
Type of Nebula: emission nebula
Notes: a stellar nursery, The Tarantula Nebula is approximately 100 times the size of the Orion Nebula and 450,000 times the size of our sun.
For more information: click here. Lots of great pictures of this nebula can be found at this location.
Triangulum Nebula, NGC 604
Name: Triangulum Nebula, NGC 604
Type of Nebula: extremely large emission nebula
Distance from Earth:
In Constellation: Triangulum
Size: nearly 1,500 light-years across
Notes: In the middle of the Triangulum Nebula, there are over 200 hot stars that are 15-60 times larger than the Earth's sun. The heat generated by these stars causes the gases within the nebula to fluoresce.
For more information: click here
Trifid Nebula, M20, NGC 6514
Name: Trifid Nebula, M20, NGC 6514
Type of Nebula: it is a combination of an emission nebula, a reflection nebula and a dark nebula
In Constellation: Sagittarius
Notes: stellar nursery; Its name means 'divided into three lobes'.
For more information: click here
V838 Monocerotis Nebula
Name: V838 Monocerotis Nebula
Type of Nebula: Supernova Remnant Nebula
Distance from Earth: approximately 20,000 light years
In Constellation: Monocerotis
Size: approximately 13.7 light years across
For more information: Click on Play Movie
The sequence of images in this video depicts the variable star V838 Monocerotis (or V838 Mon) - a so called 'red supergiant' star in the constellation of Monoceros - exhibiting a phenomenon known as the light echo effect.
Veil Nebula, Cirrus Nebula, Cygnus Loop, Bridal Veil, NGC 6960, Sh 2-103, LBN 191
Name: Veil Nebula, Cirrus Nebula, Cygnus Loop, Bridal Veil, NGC 6960, Sh 2-103, LBN 191
Type of Nebula: large but relatively faint supernova remnant.
Distance from Earth: approximately 1,470 light years
In Constellation: Cygnus
Size: about 6 times the diameter, or 36 times the area, of the full moon
Notes: can be seen with ordinary binoculars and very dark skies
For more information: click here
Wizard Nebula, NGC 7380
Name: Wizard Nebula, NGC 7380
Type of Nebula: emission nebula
Distance from Earth: approximately 7,000 - 8,000 light years
In Constellation: Cepheus
Size: about 5 times the size of the full moon; approximately 110 light years across
Notes: stellar nursery
For more information: click here
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© Copyright 2011 Cindy Murdoch (homesteadbound)
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Related Nebulae Links:
These are the articles that complete this series concerning nebula.
Reference Sites:
- StarryWonders Astrophotography
- HubbleSite.org
- NASA - Home
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Comments: "What is a Nebula? Part 5, Common Names for Nebulae P-Z and Their Information "Loading...
davenmidtown - the dust is from the remnants of the star that went supernova to create the nebula. that one is my favorite. It is so gorgeous.
Thanks for stopping by!
So the red giant that is seen in the middle as the souce of the light that forms the light echo's has not gone super nova yet?
Davenmidtown - this is what wiki says about it:
V838 Monocerotis (V838 Mon) is a red variable star in the constellation Monoceros about 20,000 light years from the Sun, and possibly one of the largest known stars. The previously unknown star was observed in early 2002 experiencing a major outburst. Originally believed to be a typical nova eruption, it was then realized to be something completely different. The reason for the outburst is still uncertain, but several conjectures have been put forward, including an eruption related to stellar death processes and a merger of a binary star or planets.
I must congratulate you on a superb hub.
Really beautiful images and very clear descriptions.
I seem to have dropped in to this hub out of sequence so I am off to see them from the beginning.
Well done brilliant work.
Just been through this hub collection and they are all truly amazing. Excellent work. Voted all up up and away.
Hello, molometer! I am glad that you enjoyed the whole series. It started out as one and then got so big that I had to break it up into bite-sized pieces. Thanks for stopping by and for the votes.
Voted up
Fascinating. You are very knowledgeable about the subject.
f - Thanks so much for stopping by and journeying through the heavens with me.
YW. Maybe like me you remember remember the Apollo program when it happened and remember how fascinating it all was.
f - I was a little young for the first one, but I do remember being totally amazed that we could actually fly to the moon. It was almost unbelievable at the time.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
YW. Amazing times, anyway, weren't they? Now they're talking about going to Mars. (Maybe once they've rebuilt Detroit?)
Less expensive to photograph Mars from earth with an electronic telescope, though.
f - I think I will just stay on this terra firma. Not really interested in another planet.
And yes it is less expensive.
thanks for stopping by!
This is a great hub and the pictures are truly 'out of this world' They are beautiful and beyond explanation. Just stunning. I pop into every now and again just to remind myself of what is out there. Thanks again Cindy.
molometer. It is good to see you again. This nebula collection has my favorite - the V838 Monocerotis Nebula. I just love it! Thanks for dropping by!
davenmidtown Level 7 Commenter 6 months ago
Another great hub... I think my favorite was the Trianulum nebula but the light echo is a close second. I wonder where all the dust came from for the light echo nebula... something must have died there and been destroyed.