Categories
Emission Nebula

Sharpless 086

Sharpless 86 is a bright emission nebula in the constellation Cepheus, located approximately 2,100 light-years away from Earth.

Sh2-86 is an emission nebula in the Milky Way and has several designations:

  • Sharpless 86 (shortened to Sh2-86) – This designation comes from the Sharpless catalog, which is a list of HII regions (hydrogen emission areas) in the sky.
  • LBN 1014 – This is a designation from the Lynds Bright Nebula Catalogue, which is a collection of nebulae in the visible portion of the sky.
  • RCW 139 – This is a designation from the RCW catalog, which is another collection of emission nebulae in the Milky Way.

All of these designations refer to the same nebula, Sh2-86, which is located near the constellation Cepheus.

Position of the nebula

Sharpless 86 is located in the constellation of Cepheus in a region also known as the Cepheus Belt in the sky. Its precise coordinates are RA 22h 54m 12s and Dec +62° 38′ 13″. It is a part of the Milky Way and is located near the northern celestial hemisphere.

Unique facts

  • Sharpless 86 has a unique shape and structure that sets it apart from other emission nebulae. It has a clear elliptical shape with a central bubble and is surrounded by a halo of glowing gas and dust. Additionally, it contains a variety of young stars forming within it.
  • Another unique characteristic of Sharpless 86 is that it is a very high-energy nebula. It is ionized by the intense radiation from the young, massive stars within it and emits intense red light, making it a spectacular object for observation and photography.

Brightness and size

It is approximately 4,500 light-years away from Earth and has an estimated size of about 40 arcminutes in the sky.

In terms of brightness, Sh2-86 is a faint nebula and has a visual magnitude of about 13.5. This means that it cannot be seen with the naked eye and can only be observed with telescopes or other instruments.

Loading...

BLOG
Close
LINKS
Close