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Deep sky: star clusters, nebulae & galaxies

This page is an index to my deep sky photos, tabulated according to published astronomical catalogues.

Most have been taken with a 10 inch (25.4 cm) aperture f/4.8 Newtonian telescope.

Recently photographed objects may not yet be listed here. Look on my latest astrophotos page.

 Messier catalogue

We start with objects in Charles Messier's late 18th century catalogue of objects that he thought might be confused with comets. This catalogue of 110 objects is a good starting list for beginners to try to observe and photograph.

Id & link
to my photos
Other namesType/descriptionConstellation
M1Crab Nebula
NGC1952
Remnant of supernova
seen in 1054
Taurus
M3NGC5272Globular clusterCanes Venatici
M11Wild Duck Cluster
NGC6705
Star clusterScutum
M13Hercules Cluster
NGC6205
Globular clusterHercules
M15NGC7078Globular clusterPegasus
M27Dumbbell Nebula
NGC6853
Planetary nebulaVulpecula
M29NGC6913Star clusterCygnus
M31Andromeda Galaxy
NGC224
Spiral galaxyAndromeda
M32NGC221, Arp 168Elliptical galaxyAndromeda
M33Pinwheel Galaxy
NGC598
Spiral galaxyTriangulum
M42Great Orion Nebula
NGC1976
Gaseous nebulaOrion
M43NGC1982Gaseous nebulaOrion
M44Praesepe
Beehive Cluster
NGC2632
Star clusterCancer
M45The Pleiades
Seven Sisters
Star clusterTaurus
M51Whirlpool Galaxy
NGC5194-5, Arp 85
Spiral galaxyCanes Venatici
M52NGC7654Star clusterCassiopeia
M53NGC5024Globular clusterComa Berenices
M57Ring Nebula
NGC6720
Planetary nebulaLyra
M58NGC4579Spiral galaxyVirgo
M59NGC4621Elliptical galaxyVirgo
M60NGC4649, Arp 116Elliptical galaxyVirgo
M64Black Eye Galaxy
NGC4826
Spiral galaxyComa Berenices
M65NGC3623, Arp 317Spiral galaxyLeo
M66NGC3627, Arp 16Spiral galaxyLeo
M71NGC6838Globular clusterSagitta
M76NGC650-1Planetary nebulaPerseus
M77NGC1068, Arp 37, 3C71Spiral galaxyCetus
M78NGC2068Gaseous nebulaOrion
M81NGC3031Spiral galaxyUrsa Major
M82NGC3034, Arp 337Starburst galaxyUrsa Major
M84NGC4374Elliptical galaxyVirgo
M86NGC4406Elliptical galaxyVirgo
M87NGC4486, Arp 152Elliptical galaxyVirgo
M89NGC4552Elliptical galaxyVirgo
M90NGC4569, Arp 76Spiral galaxyVirgo
M92NGC6341Globular clusterHercules
M95NGC3351Spiral galaxyLeo
M96NGC3368Spiral galaxyLeo
M100NGC4321Spiral galaxyComa Berenices
M101NGC5457, Arp 26Spiral galaxyUrsa Major
M105NGC3379Elliptical galaxyLeo
M106NGC4258Spiral galaxyCanes Venatici
M109NGC3992Spiral galaxyUrsa Major
M110NGC205Elliptical galaxyAndromeda

Arp refers to the catalogue of 338 peculiar galaxies compiled by Halton Arp and published in 1966.

3C refers to the third Cambridge catalogue of radio sources published in 1959.

 New General Catalogue

This section contains objects that are not in Messier's catalogue, generally because they are fainter. The New General Catalogue (NGC) was first published by Danish astronomer John Dreyer in the 1880s, building upon an earlier catalogue of more than 5,000 objects by William and John Herschel. It contains 7,840 objects. Unlike Messier the NGC numbering is systematic, going from RA 0 eastwards (for an equinox around 1880).

An NGC number in brackets means that I was not specifically aiming at the object, it just happens to be in the same field of view as a more significant target.

Id & link
to my photos
Other namesType/descriptionConstellation
NGC281Pacman NebulaGaseous nebulaCassiopeia
NGC457Owl Cluster
ET Cluster
Star clusterCassiopeia
(NGC604)Gaseous nebula in M33Triangulum
NGC869 & 884Double Cluster
h & χ Persei
2 star clustersPerseus
NGC1023Arp 135Spiral galaxyPerseus
(NGC1055)Spiral galaxyCetus
(NGC1072)Spiral galaxyCetus
NGC1499California NebulaGaseous nebulaPerseus
NGC1555Hind's Variable NebulaCloud associated with star T TauTaurus
NGC1977Running Man NebulaGaseous nebulaOrion
(NGC2023)Gaseous nebula
NGC2024Flame Nebula
Tank Trap Nebula
Gaseous nebulaOrion
NGC2237-9 & 2246Rosette NebulaGaseous nebulaMonoceros
NGC2244(in Rosette Nebula)Star clusterMonoceros
NGC2261Hubble's Variable NebulaCloud associated with star R MonMonoceros
NGC2264Christmas Tree Cluster
& Cone Nebula
Star cluster & gaseous nebulaMonoceros
NGC2346Butterfly NebulaPlanetary nebulaMonoceros
NGC2371-2Planetary nebulaGemini
NGC2392Eskimo NebulaPlanetary nebulaGemini
NGC2403Spiral galaxyCamelopardalis
NGC3628Edge on spiral galaxyLeo
(NGC4206)Spiral galaxyVirgo
NGC4216Spiral galaxyVirgo
(NGC4217)Spiral galaxy (edge on)Canes Vematici
(NGC4220)GalaxyCanes Venatici
(NGC4222)Spiral galaxyVirgo
(NGC4228)GalaxyCanes Venatici
(NGC4231)GalaxyCanes Venatici
(NGC4232)GalaxyCanes Venatici
(NGC4388)GalaxyVirgo
(NGC4438)GalaxyVirgo
NGC4485 & 4490Arp 269
NGC4490 = Cocoon Galaxy
Interacting galaxiesCanes Venatici
(NGC4567)Spiral galaxyVirgo
(NGC4568)Spiral galaxyVirgo
(NGC4647)(Next to M60)GalaxyVirgo
(NGC4754)GalaxyVirgo
(NGC4762)Spiral galaxy (edge on)Virgo
NGC4565Spiral galaxy (edge on)Coma Berenices
(NGC4733)GalaxyVirgo
NGC6765Planetary nebulaLyra
NGC6888Crescent NebulaGaseous nebulaCygnus
NGC6910Star clusterCygnus
NGC6960 & 6992Veil nebulaSupernova remnantCygnus
NGC7317-20Stephan's Quintet
NGC7320 = Arp 319
5 galaxiesPegasus
NGC7331Spiral galaxyPegasus
(NGC7335-7 & 7340)Elliptical galaxiesPegasus
NGC7000North America Nebula
(includes Cygnus Wall)
Gaseous nebulaCygnus
NGC7635Bubble nebulaGaseous nebulaCassiopeia

 Index Catalogue

The Index Catalogue (IC) was published in 2 parts in 1898 and 1908 as a supplement to NGC. John Dreyer was again responsible. IC adds a further 5,386 objects.

Id & link
to my photos
Other namesType/descriptionConstellation
IC349Merope Nebula
Pleiades Reflection Nebula
Reflection nebulaTaurus
(IC431)Gaseous nebulaOrion
(IC432)Gaseous nebulaOrion
(IC434)(Silhouettes the Horsehead)Gaseous nebulaOrion
IC1318Gaseous nebulaCygnus
IC1805Heart NebulaGaseous nebulaCassiopeia
IC5146Cocoon NebulaGaseous nebulaCygnus

 Barnard's Dark Nebulae

This catalogue was published by North American astronomer E.E.Barnard from 1919 with revisions to 1927. It lists dark nebulae, which are dust clouds obscuring more distant objects. By 1927 it contained 369 entries.

Id & link
to my photos
Other namesType/descriptionConstellation
B33Horsehead NebulaDust cloudOrion
B145Dust cloudCygnus
B168(Associated with IC5146)Dust cloudCygnus

 Other objects

Id & link
to my photos
Other namesType/descriptionConstellation
3C66AActive Galactic Nucleus (AGN)Andromeda
Leo IIUGC6253Dwarf galaxyLeo
PV CepGyulbudaghian's variable nebulaVariable nebulaCepheus
RR TauVariable nebulaTaurus
V900 MonVariable nebulaMonoceros

UGC is the Uppsala General Catalogue of over 12,900 galaxies, first published in 1973.

Another variable nebula, NcNeil's, can be found on my photos of M78.

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