Crescent Nebula
The Crescent Nebula (also known as NGC 6888, Caldwell 27, Sharpless 105) is an emission nebula in the constellation Cygnus, about 5000 light-years away from Earth. It was discovered by William Herschel in 1792. It is formed by the fast stellar wind from the Wolf-Rayet star WR 136 (HD 192163) colliding with and energizing the slower moving wind ejected by the star when it became a red giant around 250,000 to 400,000 years ago. The result of the collision is a shell and two shock waves, one moving outward and one moving inward. The inward moving shock wave heats the stellar wind to X-ray-emitting temperatures.
| Emission nebula | |
|---|---|
The Crescent Nebula, as taken by an amateur astronomer | |
| Observation data: J2000.0 epoch | |
| Right ascension | 20h 12m 7s |
| Declination | +38° 21.3′ |
| Distance | 5,000 ly |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | +7.4 |
| Apparent dimensions (V) | 18′ × 12′ |
| Constellation | Cygnus |
| Designations | NGC 6888, Sharpless 105, Caldwell 27 |
The Crescent Nebula is a rather small object located about 2 degrees Southwest of Sadr. While considered bright by astronomical imaging standards, visually it is relatively faint. For most telescopes it requires a UHC or OIII filter to see. Under favorable circumstances a telescope as small as 8 cm (with filter) can see its nebulosity. Larger telescopes (20 cm or more) reveal the crescent or a Euro sign shape which makes some to call it the "Euro sign nebula".
- NGC 6888 in Hydrogen and Oxygen Light. HOO Palette. Imaged by Don Christopher Deaver
- Crescent Nebula in H-alpha and OIII. Imaged with a 715mm focal length telescope. The hydrogen gas is red. The oxygen is blue.
- Image of NGC 6888 using H-alpha filter.
- Picture of NGC 6888 captured in narrowband by amateur astronomer Luca Moretti
- NGC 6888 imaged in 3 nm hydrogen-alpha and oxygen-III narrowband at 2800mm focal length by amateur astronomer Patrick Hsieh.