Cygnus Trio (APOD 2008 Nov 07)

[DavidLeodis]

The image in the APOD of November 7 2008 is excellent. I am though unsure which area is the Butterfly Nebula. I think the Crescent Nebula is the small bright blue area just above the centre and the Tulip Nebula may be the small bright area just in from the right edge above centre. I realise that I may be the only person that is unsure exactly what is where but I think it would have been helpful if this APOD had a link to an annotated version. http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap081107.html

[BMAONE23]

The Butterfly Nebula is the Bright Red nebula on the left hand side of the image. The Dark Dust lane is the Butterfly's body and the bright red areas on either side are the wings. There is also a Butterfly Nebula hyperlink in the explanation.

[DavidLeodis]

Thanks BMAONE23 for your reply. It is appreciated.

I have to admit that I'm still having trouble definitely making out the Butterfly Nebula. I assume the Dark Dust Lane is the obvious broad band that runs between two large bright areas and then bends up to the right at its right end. If it is, then with the two bright areas, the Butterfly Nebula is very much larger than what I think are the Crescent and Tulip nebulas. I was expecting all 3 nebulas to be similar in size in the image. Confusingly (for me ) the top bright area looks something like what could be said to be a butterfly and I had wondered if that was the nebula. I'll clearly never make an astronomer!

[BMAONE23]

I too thought that the Butterfly was the small central nebula for quite some time as it resembles a small butterfly viewed from afar. And yes the Butterfly is much larger than the other two relatively speaking.

[DavidLeodis]

Thanks BMAONE23 for your very helpful reply.

Seeing shapes in astronomy images can be fun. I think the Crescent Nebula looks like the head of a ghost (that's assuming what I think is the Crescent Nebula actually is!).