Tulip Nebula

Diffuse nebula


caption=Tulip Nebula(Sh2-101) Image Courtesy Hunter Wilson
name = Tulip Nebula
type = Emission
epoch = J2000.0
ra = 71.60°
dec = 2.80°
dist_ly = 8,000 ly
appmag_v = 9.0
size_v = 16' x 9'
constellation = Cygnus
radius_ly = -
absmag_v = -
notes = -
names = Sharpless 101

The Tulip Nebula, or Sharpless 101 (Sh2-101) is an emission nebula located in the constellation Cygnus. It is so named because it appears to resemble the outline of a tulip when imaged photographically. It was catalogued by astronomer Stewart Sharpless in his 1959 catalog of nebulae. It lies at a distance of about 8,000 light years from Earth.

The Tulip nebula, at least in the field seen from earth, is in close proximity to microquasar Cygnus X-1, site of one of the first suspected black holes. Cygnus X-1 is the brighter of the two stars (lower star) in close vertical proximity just to the right of the Tulip nebula in the image presented here.
url=http://www.astrofoto.ca/john/sh2-101-106.htm| doi=10.1086/173374] .

References

External links

* [http://galaxymap.org/cgi-bin/sharpless.py?s=101 Sharpless Catalog]
* [http://www.astrofoto.ca/john/sh2-101-106.htm Photographic Location of Cygnus X-1]