Nebulae make for some of the most beautiful astrophotos. These glowing cosmic clouds of dust and gas are often illuminated by the radiation from hot, young stars burning brightly.The result is incredible and etheral deep-sky objects ripe for capture by astro imagers across the world.
Just like meteorological clouds viewed from Earth, people often see familiar shapes in nebulae and many have acquired informal names throughout the years based on their appearance.
Below is a selection of some of the best astrophotographs of nebulae sent into to BBC Sky at Night Magazine.
If you would like to submit your own images, find out how to do so here.
Nebula Lobster or War and Peace by Fernando Oliveira De Menezes, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Equipment: Apo 150 mm triplet, Qhy 16200
Turbulent Nature of the Jellyfish Nebula by Steve Pastor, Mayhill, NM, USA. Equipment: Takahashi CCA-250, QSI683wsg CCD, Astrodon 5nm H-alpha filter, Paramount ME.
M20 - The Triffid Nebula by Chris Platkiw, Nottingham, UK. Equipment: Telescope T13 SSO, Takahashi Sky90 refractor, SBIG st2000 XCM one shot colour camera.
Iris Nebula by Pete Lawrence, Lisburn, Northern Ireland. Equipment: Skywatcher Quattro 200 CF, NEQ6 Pro, Atik 428 Mono, Baader LRGB filters, QHY5L-II, Skywatcher ST-80.
The Cat's Paw Nebula by Rafael Compassi, Presidente Lucena, Brazil. Equipment: APO triplet 80mm, ASI1600mm-c.
California Nebula by Joseph Stafford, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, UK. Equipment: Modified Canon EOS 1200D, Skywatcher ED80 DS PRO, Celestron CG5 Advanced GT.
IC 1396 Elephants Trunk Nebula by Stephen Wilson, Middlesbrough, UK. Equipment: Altair Astro RC 6", Atik 314l , Baader Narrowband filters, Pier Mounted HEQ5 Pro.
The Orion Nebula Tom Harbin, Essex, UK. Equipment: Canon Rebel T5iThe Orion Nebula by Tom Harbin, Colchester, Essex, UK. Equipment: Canon Rebel T5i DSLR camera, Celestron NexStar 127mm Mak, SLT Alt-Az GoTo mount.
Running Man Nebula by Álvaro Ibáñez Pérez, Las Inviernas, Guadalajara, Spain. Equipment: Takahashi FSQ106EDX, Takahashi EM400 Temma2, CCD Atik 460EX mono, Astrodon LRGB, IDAS LPS P2, SX USB Filter Wheel, Lunático EZG-60, SXLodestar, RoboFocus, AstroMatic(ftorrev).
Crab Nebula by Martin Weston, St.Albans, Hertfordshire, UK. Equipment: Altair 250tt Truss tube RC, Skywatcher EQ8 Mount, Altair Starwave70 ED guide scope, Starlight xpress loadstar x2 guide camera, QSI 660 monochrome CCD cooled to -20c.
The Owl Nebula in LHaRGB by Simon Todd, Haywards Heath, UK. Equipment: Sky-Watcher Quattro 8", QHYCCD 183M 20mpx ColdMOS, Sky-Watcher 50x90 Finder Scope, Starlight Xpress Ltd 7x36mm EFW, Baader Planetarium 36mm RGB, Sky-Watcher Aplanatic Coma Corrector.
Rosette Nebula - NGC2244 (SHO - Narrowband Imaging Under City) by William Tan, Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Equipment: Skyrover 110ED doublet len, iOptron ZEQ25, ASI1600MM Cool, 30/120 F4 Guidescope, QHY5L-ii-C Guidecam
Very bright optical transient near the Trifid and Lagoon Nebulae by Sebastian Voltmer, Siding Spring, Australia. Equipment: Takahashi FSQ-106ED, FLI Microline 16803, Paramount PME.
NGC 2264 (Cone Nebula) and Surroundings by Jeffrey O. Johnson, Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA. Equipment: TOA-130F, EM200, QSI690wsg.
NGC 281 Pacman Nebula - Hubble by Mr Natal Spiteri, Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK. Equipment: Explore Scientific ED80 80mm Refractor Scope, ATIK 314L CCD Mono Camera
Baader Ha, R, G, B Filters, Guiding via Orion Star Shoot 70mm & CCD & PHD2.
IC443 - The Jellyfish Nebula by Stewart Wilson, Enfield, N London, UK. Equipment: Skywatcher Quattro F4 250mm, ASI1600MM Cool, SX Maxi Wheel, 3nm Chroma SHO Filters, 10Micron GM-1000 HPS
Horsehead Nebula by John Tonks, Pembrokeshire, UK. Equipment: 180mm Maksutov, ZWO 1600mm camera.
Tadpole and Flaming Star Nebulae (IC 410 & 405) by Gábor Szendrñi, Kendig, Hungary. Equipment: GPU 100/635 apochromatic refractor, Riccardi 0.75x reducer/flattener, modified Canon EOS 700D.
NGC 7380 Wizard Nebula by Duan Yusef, Canvey Island, Essex, UK. Equipment: IK 10" Truss Tube RC, Astro Physics CCD67 Telecompressor, SW EQ8 Mount, ZWO ASI1600MM-C, Altair 60mm Guide Scope, Orion Starshoot guide Camera
IC2118 Witch Head Nebula by Quek Zong Ye, Singapore. Equipment: Takahashi Epsilon 180ed, QHY16200 Coold CCD, Skywatcher AZ-EQ6
The Phantom nebula Robert Scott, Northumberland, UK. Equipment: QHY9m camera, William Optics Megrez 90mm refractor, Sky-Watcher EQ6 mount.
IC 1848 The Soul Nebula by Martin Pyott, St Andrews, UK. Equipment: ALtair Astro 66mm ED Refractor, IOptron Smart EQ mount (unguided), Modified Baader and cooled Canon 600D
IC410 Tadpole Nebula by Mark Griffith, Swindon, UK. Equipment: Teleskop service 12" Richey-Chretien telescope, Skywatcher EQ8 mount, Atik 383L camera, Astronomik Sii, Ha, Oiii filters, Astro physics 0.67 reducer.
Heart and Tunafish Nebulae by James Robertson, Croydon, UK. Equipment: Canon 750d modified, Astronomik Ha clip filter, Skywatcher Esprit 80ed f5/400
M17 Omega Nebula by Tom Bishton, Gold Coast Hinterland, Australia. Equipment: Black Diamond ED120 Refractor, AZEQ6 Mount, Synguider, ST80 Guidescope, Cannon 600D modded
Cygnus Wall - part of the North America Nebula - NGC 7000 by Rob Little, Home. Equipment: Takahashi FSQ 106, 1.6 extender, NEQ6 pro mount, ATIK 383L CCD
Veil Nebula by Sheila Whysall, Heanor, UK. Equipment: Takahashi FSQ 106 reduced, QSI 683 wsg-8, GM1000 mount
The Anteater Nebula by Haim Huli, Namibia. Equipment: ASA 12'' Astrograph F3.6, ASA DDM85, FLI 8300 Mono
Nebulae of Auriga by David Slack, Prudhoe, Northumberland, UK. Equipment: Canon 1100D DSLR, SXV-H9 CCD camera, Revelation ED66 refractor, Tamron 55-200mm zoom lens, Baader 7nm Ha filter, Astronomik 12nm Ha clip filter, Astronomik CLS clip filter, HEQ5 pro mount
