Hubble's Variable Nebula

At a glance

Type

Reflection nebula

Constellation

Mon

Right ascension

6h 39m 09.6s

Declination

+8° 45′

Apparent magnitude

11.8

Angular size

2x1′

Catalogue

NGC2261

Located in Monoceros.

The outline on your card

A fan-shaped nebula changes appearance as dust shadows move across it.

Outline class

Cometary

Axis ratio

0.50 : 1

Central source

Single central star

Surface brightness

Medium

Recorded structure

Cometary tail · Dark lane

The card front carries no text by design: the glyph is drawn from this object's own silhouette, so the outline is the only clue you get until you scan it.

What did you just see?

Editorial description pending.

Find it in the sky

Observation guide pending.

Go deeper

Story pending.