The Iris Nebula (NGC 7023) also carries the designation van den Bergh (vdB) 139. This beautiful, flower-like cloud of gas and dust sits in Cepheus. Credit: Thomas V. Davis.
Key Takeaways:
- Davis (2009) presented a summary of the van den Bergh catalog, encompassing 158 reflection nebulae.
- The catalog's nebulae are categorized by visual brightness: VBR (very bright), BR (bright), and M (moderate), with others requiring substantial observational equipment.
- While challenging for visual observation, many nebulae are accessible to astrophotography using CCD cameras and medium-sized telescopes with extended exposure times.
- The article encouraged readers to submit high-resolution images of successfully captured nebulae to a specified email address.
In the January 2009 issue of Astronomy, Thomas V. Davis wrote about the van den Bergh catalog of reflection nebulae. Here is a list of all 158 objects Canadian astronomer Sidney van den Bergh cataloged.
Visually, you can expect to see the nebulae van den Bergh classified as VBR (very bright), BR (bright), and M (moderate). Those with other surface brightnesses will challenge even the largest telescopes.
These objects make great targets for astroimagers, however. CCD cameras coupled to medium-sized telescopes can capture most of them, albeit with long exposure times. If you successfully image any of these objects, send high-resolution copies to readergallery@Astronomy.com.
