Reflection nebulae reflect the light of stars that are located in their vicinity. They usually appear blue and often have diffuse, blurry shapes.
The Canadian astronomer Sidney van den Bergh published a catalog of reflection nebulae in 1966, known as the vdB catalog. The objects in this category are exclusively sorted by their number in the vdB catalog.
The Iris Nebula is a reflection nebula located in the constellation Cepheus, approximately 1,300 light-years away from Earth. It reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight in early August. Specifically around August 4th ...
Electra, also known as vdB 20, is a reflection nebula associated with a blue-white giant star located in the constellation Taurus, approximately 400 light-years away from Earth. It reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight in late November ...
The Maia Nebula is a reflection nebula associated with the star Maia in the Pleiades star cluster, located in the constellation Taurus approximately 400 light-years away from Earth. It reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight in late November ...
The Merope Nebula is a reflection nebula associated with the star Merope in the Pleiades star cluster, located in the constellation Taurus approximately 400 light-years away from Earth. It reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight in late November ...
Van den Bergh 34 is a reflection nebula located in the constellation Cepheus, approximately 1,500 light-years away from Earth. This nebula reaches its annual culmination at astronomical midnight around mid of December ...
NGC 6914 in the constellation Cygnus is part of a larger nebula complex. VdB 131 and VdB 132 are two reflection nebulae within this complex, located about 6,000 light-years away. They reach their annual culmination at astronomical midnight at the end of July ...
