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Astrophotographer Bing Xin has completed imaging all 313 objects in the Sharpless Catalog of H II Regions, a comprehensive collection of emission nebulae visible from Earth's northern hemisphere. The project required approximately 800 hours of total exposure time collected from dark sky locations in Eastern China and Inner Mongolia, with each object requiring 2-6 hours of imaging using narrowband and RGB filters. The catalog includes various types of nebulae such as star-forming H II regions (Eagle, Heart, and Orion Nebulae), planetary nebulae (Medusa Nebula), and supernova remnants (Spaghetti Nebula).
Why it matters
This complete visual documentation of the Sharpless Catalog provides valuable reference material for astronomical education and research, making these deep-sky objects accessible to both professional astronomers and amateur enthusiasts. The comprehensive imaging effort demonstrates the capability of dedicated amateur astrophotography to contribute to astronomical documentation and public science communication.
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The Complete Sharpless Catalog: 313 Nebulas
Explanation: What does it take to image hundreds of nebulas? Today’s image contains the entire Sharpless Catalog of H II Regions, totaling 313 objects. Zoom in and explore! You may spot fan favorites like the Eagle (Sh2-49), Heart (Sh2-190), and Orion (Sh2-281) Nebulas. Despite its name, this catalog contains more than the glow of ionized hydrogen that makes up H II regions. There are planetary nebulas (the Medusa Nebula, Sh2-274) and supernova remnants (the Spaghetti Nebula, Sh2-240) as well. Astrophotographer Bing Xin traversed the dark skies of Eastern China and Inner Mongolia to catch them all. Narrowband filters that primarily capture light from ionized hydrogen and oxygen as well as red-green-blue filters were used. Each object took 2 to 6 hours to capture, with the entire catalog taking around 800 hours to complete! Which object is your favorite?
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Tomorrow’s picture: just Curiosity
| Date: | October 2, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Credit: | Bing Xin |
| Authors & editors: | Keighley Rockcliffe, Robert Nemiroff, Jerry Bonnell, Cecilia Chirenti |
| A service of: |
ASD at NASA / GSFC, NASA Science Activation & Michigan Tech. U. |
Source: APOD: 2026 October 2 – The Complete Sharpless Catalog: 313 Nebulas