The Crescent Nebula is a faint patch of nebulosity in Cygnus. The appearance of the nebula is similar to that of a supernova remnant. However, it is actually a rare planetary nebula surrounding a Wolf-Rayet star. The 7th magnitude intensely hot Wolf-Rayet star HD 192765 in the center is the source of the gas forming the nebula. That star is also the source of the radiation that excites the gas sufficiently to make it glow. The radiation from this star drove away gas at speeds of 3 million miles per hour. The fierce stellar wind collided with gas shed earlier to create the glowing shell that we see as the Cresent Nebula. The Crescent Nebula is located about two degrees from M29.
This is an RGB color composite CCD image taken with a Takahashi Epsilon 180ED telescope using an STL-11000M CCD. The image was taken from my backyard in Scottsdale, Arizona.
NGC 6888
Constellation: Cygnus
RA: 20h 12m 06s Dec: +38d 21' 18" (J2000)
June 13, 2009
Image by Sid Leach
Scottsdale, Arizona
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