The Variable Nebula: NGC 2261

The Variable Nebula: NGC 2261

Image of Variable Nebula NGC 2261 by astrophotographer Tommy Lease

Close-up Hubble Space Telescope image of variable nebula NGC 2261

The interstellar cloud of dust and gas has changed its appearance noticeably over periods as short as a few weeks. Discovered over 200 years ago and cataloged as NGC 2261, bright star R Monocerotis lies at the tip of the fan-shaped nebula. About one light-year across and 2500 light-years away, NGC 2261 was studied early last century by astronomer Edwin Hubble and the mysterious cosmic cloud is now more famous as Hubble's Variable Nebula. So what makes Hubble's nebula vary? NGC 2261 is composed of a dusty reflection nebula fanning out from the star R Monocerotis. The leading variability explanation holds that dense knots of obscuring dust pass close to R Mon and cast moving shadows across the dust clouds in the rest of Hubble's Variable Nebula.

Image 1 Credit & Copyright: Tommy Lease (Denver Astronomical Society)

Tommy's website: 

https://www.instagram.com/colorado_astro/

Release Date: Jan. 31, 2025

Image 2 Credit: NASA/ESA and The Hubble Heritage Team (AURA/STScI)
Release Date: October 7, 1999

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