From the April 2008 issue

Stephen James O’Meara’s secret sky: How to find a Space needle in a haystack

April 2008: Seek out the emission nebula NGC 2736.
By | Published: April 1, 2008 | Last updated on May 18, 2023
In my last two columns, I explained how to observe the nebula Barnard’s Loop in Orion. This 10°-wide emission nebula, also known as Sharpless 2-276, may be the only supernova remnant visible to the unaided eye. This month, I’m taking you to the other extreme. I’d like observers, especially those in the southern United States and beyond, to seek out the tiny emission nebula NGC 2736 in Vela.