List of diffuse nebulae

This page lists known diffuse nebulae and dark clouds .

Name (German)	Name (English)	LBN or LDN	NGC or IC	Other catalogs	Constellation	Distance (approx. Ly )	Apparent brightness
De Mairan's Nebula / Little Orion Nebula	De Mairan's Nebula		NGC 1982	M 43	Orion (constellation)	1300	+8.0
Eggs fog / Egg Nebula	Egg nebula			CRL 2688	Swan (constellation)	3000	+13.5
Duck mist / Thor's helmet	Duck Nebula, Thor's Helmet		NGC 2359 + IC 468		Big dog	15000	+9.0 (NGC 2359)
Hubble's Variable Nebula	Hubble's Variable Nebula		NGC 2261		Unicorn (constellation)	3000	+9.5
Cat's Paw Nebula	Cat's Paw Nebula / Bear Claw Nebula		NGC 6334	Gum 64	Sagittarius (constellation)	5500	-
Cocoon mist	Cocoon Nebula		IC 5146		Swan (constellation)	3900	-
Lagoon fog	Lagoon Nebula		NGC 6523 + NGC 6530 (star cluster)	M 8 / W 29	Sagittarius (constellation)	4300	+5.8
Lambda Centauri Nebula	Running Chicken Nebula, Lambda Centauri Nebula		around cluster IC 2948		Centaur (constellation)	8000	-
Minkowski's footprint	Footprint nebula			M 1-92	Swan (constellation)	8000	+11.7
Omega nebula / swan nebula	Omega Nebula / Swan Nebula		NGC 6618	M 17	Sagittarius (constellation)	5900	+7.0
Orion Nebula / Great Orion Nebula	Great Orion Nebula	LBN 974	NGC 1976	M 42	Orion (constellation)	1300	+3.5
Horsehead Nebula	Horsehead Nebula			Barnard 33 + IC 434	Orion (constellation)	1400	-
Veil Nebula / Cirrus Fog / Cygnus Loop	Cirrus Nebula / Veil Nebula		NGC 6960 + NGC 6974 + NGC 6979 + NGC 6992 + NGC 6995 + IC 1340		Swan (constellation)	2000	+9.0 / + 7.5 / + 7.5 / -
Tarantula mist	Tarantula Nebula	-	NGC 2070		Swordfish (constellation)	180,000 (in GMW )	+5.4
Trifid Nebula	Trifid Nebula		NGC 6514	M 20 / + Barnard 85	Sagittarius (constellation)	2700	+8.5
	Embryo nebula		IC 1848		Cassiopeia (constellation)	7800	-
	Ghost nebula		NGC 1977		Orion (constellation)	1300	+6.5
	Seagull Nebula		NGC 2029 + NGC 2032 + NGC 2035 + NGC 2040	ESO 56-156 + ESO 56-160 + ESO 56-164	Swordfish (constellation)	180,000 (in GMW )	-

Emission nebula / HII region

NGC or IC	LBN	Other catalogs	Surname	Discovery date	Constellation	Radiation source star or star cluster	Distance (approx. Ly )	Brightness (approx likes )
IC 405	LBN 795		Flaming Star Nebula		Carter (constellation)		1500	-
IC 1318			Gamma Cygni Nebula Gamma Cygni Nebula		Swan (constellation)	Gamma Cygni	4500	-
IC 5067 , IC 5070	LBN 353	Min 2-69	Pelican Nebula Pelican Nebula		Swan (constellation)		2000	-
NGC 896		Min 2-57, Westerhout 4	Heart Nebula Heart Nebula		Cassiopeia (constellation)	IC 1805	7800	-
NGC 1499	LBN 756	Sh 2-220	California Nebula California Nebula	1884	Perseus (constellation)		500 to 1000	+5.0 / +6.0
NGC 2024			Flame Nebula, Flaming Tree Flame Nebula	1786	Orion (constellation)		1200 to 1500	+7.5
NGC 2246	LBN 948, LBN 949	Sh 2-275, Westerhout 16	Rosette Nebula Rosetta Nebula	1864	Unicorn (constellation)	NGC 2237, 2238, 2239, and NGC 2244	4700 to 5200	+6.0
NGC 6888	LBN 203		Sickle Nebula Crescent Nebula	1792	Swan (constellation)	WR 136	3700 to 4700	+10.0
NGC 7000	LBN 373	Sh 2-117	North America Nebula North Amarica Nebula	1891	Swan (constellation)		2000 to 2500	+5.0 / +6.0
NGC 7635	LBN 548	Sh 2-162	Bubble Nebula Bubble Nebula	1787	Cassiopeia (constellation)		7100
		Sh 2-276	Barnard's Ring, Barnard's Loop Barnard's Loop	1895	Orion (constellation)		800 to 1600	+3.5

Surname	NGC	Discovery year	Distance (approx. Ly )	Apparent brightness
NGC 2264	NGC 2264	1785	2500	+3.9
NGC 248	NGC 248	1834
NGC 261	NGC 261	1826
NGC 595	NGC 595	1864		+13.5
NGC 2074	NGC 2074		170,000	+8.5
NGC 2080	NGC 2080	1834	168,000	+10.42

Reflection fog

NGC or IC	Ced or DG	Other catalogs	Surname	Discovery date	Constellation	Radiation source star or star cluster	Distance (approx. Ly )	Brightness (approx likes )
IC 349	Ced 19i		Barnard's Merope Nebula Barnard's Merope Nebula	1890	Taurus (constellation)	Pleiades	300 to 400	approx. 13
NGC 1333	Ced 16, DG 18	LBN 741		1855	Perseus (constellation)		1000	+5.6
NGC 1432	-	LBN 771	Mayan Nebula Maia Nebula		Taurus (constellation)	Pleiades ( Maia )	300 to 400	-
NGC 1435	-		Meropen Nebula Merope Nebula		Taurus (constellation)	Pleiades ( Merope )	300 to 400	-
NGC 1909 (IC 2118)	Ced 41, DG 52	LBN 959	Witch Head Nebula Witch Head Nebula's		Eridanus (constellation)	Beta Orionis (Rigel)	800	-
NGC 2068	Ced 55u, DG 80	Messier 78		1780	Orion (constellation)		1600	+8.0
NGC 6729				1861	Corona Australis	R Coronae Australis	400
NGC 7129	-	LBN 497		1794	Cepheus (constellation)		3300	+11.5

Dark clouds

Barnard	LDN	Other catalogs	Surname	Constellation	Distance (approx. Ly )
Barnard 59 , 65, 66, 67, 77, 78	LDN 1746, LDN 1772, LDN 1768, -, LDN 69, -		Pipe Nebula Pipe Nebula	Sagittarius (constellation)	500
Barnard 86	LDN 93		Inkblot Ink Spot	Sagittarius (constellation)	5500
Barnard 168	-	-	Dark cigar caterpillar	Swan (constellation)	3900
-	-	no catalog number	Coalsack Coalsack	southern Cross	2000

Fog complexes

NGC or IC	LBN	Other catalogs	Surname	Discovery date	Constellation	Radiation source star or star cluster	Distance (approx. Ly )	Brightness (approx likes )
IC 4703	LBN 67		Eagle Nebula Eagle Nebula, Star Queen	1785	Snake (constellation)	NGC 6611, Messier 16	5600 to 7000	+6.0
NGC 3372		GUM 33, RCW 53	Carina Nebula, Eta Carina Nebula Eta Carinae Nebula	1751	Keel of the ship	Eta Carinae multiple system	6000 to 7000	+3.0

Surname	Messier	NGC	Discovery year	Distance (approx. Ly )	Apparent brightness
Lagoon fog	M 8	NGC 6523	1747	5200	+6.0
De Mairan's mist	M 43	NGC 1982	1731	1600	+9.0
Omega nebula	M 17	NGC 6618	1745	5500	+6.0
Orion Nebula	M 42	NGC 1976	1610	1500	+4.0
Tarantula mist		NGC 2070	1751	170,000	+8.3
Trifid Nebula	M 20	NGC 6514	1764	5200	+6.3
NGC 604		NGC 0604	1784	2,700,000	+14.0