Reflection nebulae do not shine by their own power but scatter the light of nearby stars. Because their fine dust particles scatter blue light more strongly than red, these nebulae usually appear in a delicate blue – an elegant contrast to the deep reds of emission nebulae. A well-known example is the Iris Nebula (Caldwell 4), whose blue blossom stands out against dark dust. Reflection nebulae often appear together with dark nebulae and emission regions, forming complex, layered fields of view. They are a photographic challenge: their light is faint, and the subtle dust structures demand long exposures under dark skies. Unlike emission nebulae, narrowband filters are of little help here – reflection nebulae are best captured in broadband images with good colour fidelity. This page gathers every reflection nebula I have photographed so far. Click into any object to learn more about it and see all the astrophoto posts it appears in.
The Iris Nebula in the constellation Cepheus lies about 1,120 light-years away and reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed early August.
The Electra Nebula is a reflection nebula in the constellation Taurus, located roughly 375 light-years away, and reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed mid November.
The Maia Nebula is a reflection nebula in the constellation Taurus, located about 344 light-years away, and reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed mid November.
The Merope Nebula is a reflection nebula in the constellation Taurus, lying about 344 light-years away, and reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight and is best observed mid November.
