08/28/2026
Another terrific image from RAC member Marshall Sweet for Astrophotography Friday!
“What’s so unique about this nebula besides the vague tulip shape?
Okay for starters this one is weird because its only listed in the sharpless catalog which is a little more obscure than the other catalogs that are more commonly photographed by amateurs. And while this nebula is pretty commonly referred to as the tulip nebula i could only pull it up in the target catalog by typing in its catalog number EXACTLY as shown: Sh space 2 dash 101. Otherwise it wouldn’t come up in the target list.
The most widespread fact about this region though has nothing to do with the main nebula, but rather the black hole just off the nebula called cygnus X-1. The evidence for its existence is clear even in this picture, as it notably produces a “bow shock” of ionized oxygen due to the intense radiation it emits. But scientists have found plenty of other good evidence to show a black hole resides here. Its a bright source of x ray emissions (thus the ‘X-1’ in its name), but also it has a very short period as a binary system indicating something is swinging its companion (a super giant star) around very quickly. Cygnus X-1 is currently the 9th closest known black hole to our solar system at a distance of about 7300 light years away, a little farther than the nebula which is about 6000 light years.
Tech details
• Object: Sh 2-101 - The Tulip Nebula
• Telescope - Celestron C9.25” EdgeHD w/ .7 reducer
• Camera - QHY268M
• Filters - Antlia 4.5nm edge SHO filters | ZWO RGB filters
• Acquired in NINA, processed in Pixinsight, AffinityPhoto
• ~28 hours integrated, SHO w/ RGB stars.”
📸 Marshall Sweet
-101
