The Tulip Fields of Cygnus

by Hugh Johnson

Objects in field: NGC 6871, NGC 6883, LDN 847, LDN 848, LDN 849, LDN 852, LDN 853, LDN 856, LDN 857, LDN 860, LBN 168, LBN 171, LBN 174, LBN 177, LBN 179, LBN 180, LBN 182, LBN 187, Sh2-101, 27 b01 Cyg, 27 Cyg, 28 b02 Cyg, 28 Cyg, B144, B146, B147, The star b1 Cyg, The star b2 Cyg

Equipment: Askar 71F Flat-Field Refractor, ZWO ASI2600MC DUO

Integration: 11h 45m

This image frames an intricate stretch of the Cygnus constellation, rich with glowing hydrogen filaments and star-forming structures. Anchoring the upper-right quadrant is Sharpless 101 (Sh2-101, and more poetically known as the Tulip Nebula), a beautifully sculpted H II region roughly 6,000 light-years away. The nebula earns its floral nickname from its curved, petal-like shape, illuminated by…