Sh2-101, The Tulip Nebula!

Sh2-101 - Tulip nebula

So excited to share a brand new image, and this one marks a bit of a milestone for me! This is my very first shot using the Optolong L-ultimate filter, and I decided to point it at Sh2-101, more commonly known as the Tulip Nebula.

What a fascinating object this is! The Tulip Nebula is an emission nebula located in the constellation Cygnus, and it gets its name from its distinctive flower-like shape. What's even cooler is that it's energized by the powerful ultraviolet radiation from the star HDE 226868, which is actually the massive companion star to Cygnus X-1, one of the strongest X-ray sources in the sky and a famous black hole candidate! That's right, the very star illuminating this beautiful cosmic flower is gravitationally bound to a black hole. How wild is that?!

I'm really impressed with how the L-ultimate performed, bringing out the delicate tendrils and vibrant reds of the hydrogen and blues of the oxygen with such clarity. Definitely looking forward to more sessions with this filter! Hope you enjoy this celestial bloom!