LBN 879 is an emission nebula in Orion, 1,240 light-years away
LBN 879 (Ced 59) is an emission nebula in the constellation Orion , 1,240 light-years away. Lynds rated it brightness class 1 of 6, the brightest, and color class 3, reddish. It spans 3′ × 2′ of sky, about 1.1 light-years across. It is among the brightest nebulae in the catalog, visible in a small telescope; a nebula filter helps, and it is highest in the evening sky in February.
Emission nebula: a cloud of gas, mostly hydrogen, made to glow by the ultraviolet light of hot young stars. It shines in the red light of hydrogen-alpha, and a nebula filter helps it stand out from the sky.
Finding LBN 879 from Betelgeuse
Betelgeuse
LBN 879
ORION
LBN 879 lies 2.8° northwest of Betelgeuse , the magnitude 0.5 star. Three fingers held at arm's length cover about 5°.
LBN 879 is highest in the evening in February
JAN
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APR
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60°N
JAN at 60°N: 37° high at 9 pm FEB at 60°N: 38° high at 9 pm MAR at 60°N: 30° high at 9 pm APR at 60°N: 17° high at 9 pm MAY at 60°N: 2° high at 9 pm JUN at 60°N: -11° high at 9 pm JUL at 60°N: -19° high at 9 pm AUG at 60°N: -20° high at 9 pm SEP at 60°N: -13° high at 9 pm OCT at 60°N: -1° high at 9 pm NOV at 60°N: 14° high at 9 pm DEC at 60°N: 28° high at 9 pm 50°N
JAN at 50°N: 47° high at 9 pm FEB at 50°N: 48° high at 9 pm MAR at 50°N: 37° high at 9 pm APR at 50°N: 19° high at 9 pm MAY at 50°N: -0° high at 9 pm JUN at 50°N: -18° high at 9 pm JUL at 50°N: -29° high at 9 pm AUG at 50°N: -30° high at 9 pm SEP at 50°N: -20° high at 9 pm OCT at 50°N: -4° high at 9 pm NOV at 50°N: 15° high at 9 pm DEC at 50°N: 33° high at 9 pm 40°N
JAN at 40°N: 56° high at 9 pm FEB at 40°N: 57° high at 9 pm MAR at 40°N: 42° high at 9 pm APR at 40°N: 20° high at 9 pm MAY at 40°N: -3° high at 9 pm JUN at 40°N: -24° high at 9 pm JUL at 40°N: -38° high at 9 pm AUG at 40°N: -40° high at 9 pm SEP at 40°N: -27° high at 9 pm OCT at 40°N: -7° high at 9 pm NOV at 40°N: 16° high at 9 pm DEC at 40°N: 38° high at 9 pm 30°N
JAN at 30°N: 64° high at 9 pm FEB at 30°N: 65° high at 9 pm MAR at 30°N: 46° high at 9 pm APR at 30°N: 20° high at 9 pm MAY at 30°N: -5° high at 9 pm JUN at 30°N: -30° high at 9 pm JUL at 30°N: -47° high at 9 pm AUG at 30°N: -49° high at 9 pm SEP at 30°N: -33° high at 9 pm OCT at 30°N: -11° high at 9 pm NOV at 30°N: 16° high at 9 pm DEC at 30°N: 41° high at 9 pm 20°N
JAN at 20°N: 70° high at 9 pm FEB at 20°N: 73° high at 9 pm MAR at 20°N: 49° high at 9 pm APR at 20°N: 20° high at 9 pm MAY at 20°N: -7° high at 9 pm JUN at 20°N: -34° high at 9 pm JUL at 20°N: -56° high at 9 pm AUG at 20°N: -59° high at 9 pm SEP at 20°N: -39° high at 9 pm OCT at 20°N: -13° high at 9 pm NOV at 20°N: 15° high at 9 pm DEC at 20°N: 43° high at 9 pm 10°N
JAN at 10°N: 73° high at 9 pm FEB at 10°N: 76° high at 9 pm MAR at 10°N: 49° high at 9 pm APR at 10°N: 19° high at 9 pm MAY at 10°N: -9° high at 9 pm JUN at 10°N: -39° high at 9 pm JUL at 10°N: -64° high at 9 pm AUG at 10°N: -67° high at 9 pm SEP at 10°N: -44° high at 9 pm OCT at 10°N: -16° high at 9 pm NOV at 10°N: 14° high at 9 pm DEC at 10°N: 43° high at 9 pm 0°
JAN at 0°: 71° high at 9 pm FEB at 0°: 74° high at 9 pm MAR at 0°: 48° high at 9 pm APR at 0°: 18° high at 9 pm MAY at 0°: -11° high at 9 pm JUN at 0°: -41° high at 9 pm JUL at 0°: -69° high at 9 pm AUG at 0°: -75° high at 9 pm SEP at 0°: -47° high at 9 pm OCT at 0°: -18° high at 9 pm NOV at 0°: 13° high at 9 pm DEC at 0°: 42° high at 9 pm 10°S
JAN at 10°S: 65° high at 9 pm FEB at 10°S: 67° high at 9 pm MAR at 10°S: 45° high at 9 pm APR at 10°S: 16° high at 9 pm MAY at 10°S: -13° high at 9 pm JUN at 10°S: -43° high at 9 pm JUL at 10°S: -72° high at 9 pm AUG at 10°S: -78° high at 9 pm SEP at 10°S: -48° high at 9 pm OCT at 10°S: -19° high at 9 pm NOV at 10°S: 11° high at 9 pm DEC at 10°S: 39° high at 9 pm 20°S
JAN at 20°S: 57° high at 9 pm FEB at 20°S: 58° high at 9 pm MAR at 20°S: 40° high at 9 pm APR at 20°S: 14° high at 9 pm MAY at 20°S: -14° high at 9 pm JUN at 20°S: -42° high at 9 pm JUL at 20°S: -69° high at 9 pm AUG at 20°S: -74° high at 9 pm SEP at 20°S: -47° high at 9 pm OCT at 20°S: -20° high at 9 pm NOV at 20°S: 9° high at 9 pm DEC at 20°S: 35° high at 9 pm 30°S
JAN at 30°S: 48° high at 9 pm FEB at 30°S: 49° high at 9 pm MAR at 30°S: 34° high at 9 pm APR at 30°S: 11° high at 9 pm MAY at 30°S: -14° high at 9 pm JUN at 30°S: -41° high at 9 pm JUL at 30°S: -63° high at 9 pm AUG at 30°S: -66° high at 9 pm SEP at 30°S: -45° high at 9 pm OCT at 30°S: -20° high at 9 pm NOV at 30°S: 6° high at 9 pm DEC at 30°S: 30° high at 9 pm 40°S
JAN at 40°S: 39° high at 9 pm FEB at 40°S: 39° high at 9 pm MAR at 40°S: 28° high at 9 pm APR at 40°S: 8° high at 9 pm MAY at 40°S: -15° high at 9 pm JUN at 40°S: -37° high at 9 pm JUL at 40°S: -55° high at 9 pm AUG at 40°S: -57° high at 9 pm SEP at 40°S: -41° high at 9 pm OCT at 40°S: -19° high at 9 pm NOV at 40°S: 4° high at 9 pm DEC at 40°S: 24° high at 9 pm
below horizon
low
20-40°
40-60°
overhead-ish
The chart gives its height above the horizon at 9 pm through the year, from 60°N to 40°S. It can be seen from the whole northern hemisphere and south to about 81°S.
LBN 879 is 1,240 light-years away
The light seen from LBN 879 tonight left it about 1,240 years ago, around 786 AD. Distance source: Sh2-264, Collinder 69 Gaia DR3, Hunt & Reffert 2023 (0.38 kpc).
3 Lynds bright nebulae and 11 Lynds dark nebulae lie within 5° of LBN 879
The nearest:
LDN 1596, dark nebula, 3′ LBN 878, emission nebula, 17′ LDN 1594, dark nebula, 18′ LDN 1597, dark nebula, 1.1° LDN 1598, dark nebula, 1.8° LDN 1599, dark nebula, 1.8° LDN 1602, dark nebula, 3.0° LBN 865, emission nebula, 3.3° LDN 1585, dark nebula, 4.5° LBN 905, emission nebula, 4.7°
NGC and IC objects in the field that are brighter than magnitude 12.5 or have their own page:
LBN 879 catalog data
Field Value
Designations LBN 879, Ced 59 Constellation Orion Type emission nebula Right ascension (J2000) 05h 45.9m Declination (J2000) +09° 03′ Galactic longitude and latitude 197.19°, -10.15° Brightness class 1 of 6 (the brightest) Color class 3 of 4 (reddish) Apparent size 3′ × 2′ True size 1.1 light-years Distance 1,240 light-years (Sh2-264, Collinder 69 Gaia DR3, Hunt & Reffert 2023 (0.38 kpc)) Best with Small telescope Best month February Catalog page LBN 501 to 1000
