Credit: Alan Dyer
B72, additionally referred to as the Snake Nebula, in Ophiuchus is one other of Barnard’s discoveries. When observing darkish nebulae corresponding to this, you’re on the lookout for darkish locations within the heavens. Such a search requires good skies the place the richness of the Milky Way makes it apparent when one thing is obscuring it. (Earthly clouds don’t rely!)
Considered comparatively close by at 650 light-years distant, B72 is compact, working 6′ in a northwest–southeast path. It is slim, starting from 2′ to three′ thick. The densest a part of the mud cloud varieties an S; it was referred to as the S Nebula earlier than the moniker Snake Nebula turned standard. Its 5-light-year-long sinuous nature seems in small telescopes below skies the place the Milky Way glows brilliant. Look a few diploma and a half north-northeast of Theta (θ) Ophiuchi, a magnitude 3.25 a number of star. The space is wealthy in darkish clouds. Look for a set of close by “holes” (“plugs” may be extra apropos) within the background glow: B68, B69, B70, and B74. (Barnard 68 is the densest and darkest of the 4.)
The complete area is a marvel to scan with a wide-field telescope or giant binoculars. The Snake is on the prime of the Pipe Nebula, a big cloud spanning 5° in size and greater than 3° in width. That’s giant sufficient to be seen to the bare eye from latitudes with good views of the southern sky. And if the Snake and Pipe aren’t sufficient, they’re additionally half of a big nebular advanced referred to as the Dark Horse Nebula, which covers a beneficiant 10° by 10°.
