![M53](https://www.boldly-going.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/m53.png)
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![Cave Nebula](https://www.boldly-going.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Cave-768x718.png)
The Cave Nebula
Formally SH2-155, the Cave Nebula lies about 2,400 light-years away within the constellation Cepheus. It’s part of a much larger region of gas and dust (called a molecular cloud). This region is mostly ionized Hydrogen, but there’s just enough Oxygen – blue in this image – to make for a pretty picture. Capturing that Oxygen…
![The Whirlpool Galaxy](https://www.boldly-going.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/WhirlpoolDrizzled3-768x509.png)
The Whirlpool Galaxy
The Whirlpool Galaxy (M51) appears to be sucking the life out of its companion, NGC 5195. While these galaxies are interacting, they’re not actually connected right now – it just looks that way.
![The “Witch’s Broom”, revisited](https://www.boldly-going.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/WitchBroom-768x512.jpg)
The “Witch’s Broom”, revisited
This portion of the Veil Nebula, commonly called the “Witch’s Broom,” is part of a larger shell of gas known as the Cygnus Loop. It’s gases blown off from a supernova that exploded 10,000 to 20,000 years ago! The rich red and blue colors are real; this is not a false color image. Shot over…
![Tulip Nebula (SH2-101)](https://www.boldly-going.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/TulipNatStarsCrop-768x565.png)
A Tulip and a Supernova
In these short summer nights, I want to take advantage of every moment of darkness. Right now, the galaxy M100 is up in the hours before midnight, and the “Tulip Nebula” – formally SH2-101 – rises just as M100 sets. So for this past week, I’ve been imaging both objects. But no more clear skies…
![NGC 3344: Another obscure, isolated galaxy](https://www.boldly-going.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/NGC3344-768x768.png)
NGC 3344: Another obscure, isolated galaxy
Here’s another galaxy with no nearby neighbors, and no catchy nicknames either: NGC 3344. It’s about 22.5 million light-years away within the constellation Leo Minor. Although it doesn’t get the love it deserves, it’s a glorious face-on barred spiral galaxy that’s about half the size of our own Milky Way. Explore the space around it,…
![Needle Galaxy](https://www.boldly-going.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/NeedleProc-768x565.png)
The Needle Galaxy
A spiral galaxy almost 40 million light-years away, viewed edge-on. The dust lane in the center of its disk, and central bulge are clearly visible. A couple of its smaller, satellite galaxies can also be seen here.