LBN 987 is an emission nebula in Monoceros, 14,500 light-years away
LBN 987 is an emission nebula in the constellation Monoceros , 14,500 light-years away. Lynds rated it brightness class 4 of 6, moderately faint, and color class 3, reddish. It spans 20′ × 8′ of sky, about 84.1 light-years across. It is a faint target for long-exposure photography, 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 987 from Sirius
Sirius
LBN 987
MONOCEROS
LBN 987 lies 16.8° north of Sirius , the magnitude -1.4 star. A fist held at arm's length covers about 10°.
LBN 987 is highest in the evening in February
JAN
FEB
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APR
MAY
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JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
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DEC
60°N
JAN at 60°N: 25° high at 9 pm FEB at 60°N: 30° high at 9 pm MAR at 60°N: 27° high at 9 pm APR at 60°N: 16° high at 9 pm MAY at 60°N: 2° high at 9 pm JUN at 60°N: -13° high at 9 pm JUL at 60°N: -25° high at 9 pm AUG at 60°N: -30° high at 9 pm SEP at 60°N: -26° high at 9 pm OCT at 60°N: -15° high at 9 pm NOV at 60°N: -1° high at 9 pm DEC at 60°N: 14° high at 9 pm 50°N
JAN at 50°N: 33° high at 9 pm FEB at 50°N: 40° high at 9 pm MAR at 50°N: 35° high at 9 pm APR at 50°N: 21° high at 9 pm MAY at 50°N: 2° high at 9 pm JUN at 50°N: -17° high at 9 pm JUL at 50°N: -32° high at 9 pm AUG at 50°N: -40° high at 9 pm SEP at 50°N: -35° high at 9 pm OCT at 50°N: -20° high at 9 pm NOV at 50°N: -1° high at 9 pm DEC at 50°N: 17° high at 9 pm 40°N
JAN at 40°N: 41° high at 9 pm FEB at 40°N: 50° high at 9 pm MAR at 40°N: 43° high at 9 pm APR at 40°N: 25° high at 9 pm MAY at 40°N: 3° high at 9 pm JUN at 40°N: -20° high at 9 pm JUL at 40°N: -40° high at 9 pm AUG at 40°N: -50° high at 9 pm SEP at 40°N: -43° high at 9 pm OCT at 40°N: -24° high at 9 pm NOV at 40°N: -1° high at 9 pm DEC at 40°N: 21° high at 9 pm 30°N
JAN at 30°N: 48° high at 9 pm FEB at 30°N: 60° high at 9 pm MAR at 30°N: 51° high at 9 pm APR at 30°N: 28° high at 9 pm MAY at 30°N: 3° high at 9 pm JUN at 30°N: -23° high at 9 pm JUL at 30°N: -46° high at 9 pm AUG at 30°N: -60° high at 9 pm SEP at 30°N: -50° high at 9 pm OCT at 30°N: -28° high at 9 pm NOV at 30°N: -2° high at 9 pm DEC at 30°N: 24° high at 9 pm 20°N
JAN at 20°N: 53° high at 9 pm FEB at 20°N: 70° high at 9 pm MAR at 20°N: 57° high at 9 pm APR at 20°N: 31° high at 9 pm MAY at 20°N: 3° high at 9 pm JUN at 20°N: -25° high at 9 pm JUL at 20°N: -52° high at 9 pm AUG at 20°N: -70° high at 9 pm SEP at 20°N: -56° high at 9 pm OCT at 20°N: -30° high at 9 pm NOV at 20°N: -2° high at 9 pm DEC at 20°N: 26° high at 9 pm 10°N
JAN at 10°N: 57° high at 9 pm FEB at 10°N: 80° high at 9 pm MAR at 10°N: 62° high at 9 pm APR at 10°N: 32° high at 9 pm MAY at 10°N: 3° high at 9 pm JUN at 10°N: -27° high at 9 pm JUL at 10°N: -55° high at 9 pm AUG at 10°N: -80° high at 9 pm SEP at 10°N: -60° high at 9 pm OCT at 10°N: -32° high at 9 pm NOV at 10°N: -2° high at 9 pm DEC at 10°N: 27° high at 9 pm 0°
JAN at 0°: 58° high at 9 pm FEB at 0°: 89° high at 9 pm MAR at 0°: 63° high at 9 pm APR at 0°: 33° high at 9 pm MAY at 0°: 3° high at 9 pm JUN at 0°: -27° high at 9 pm JUL at 0°: -57° high at 9 pm AUG at 0°: -87° high at 9 pm SEP at 0°: -62° high at 9 pm OCT at 0°: -33° high at 9 pm NOV at 0°: -2° high at 9 pm DEC at 0°: 28° high at 9 pm 10°S
JAN at 10°S: 57° high at 9 pm FEB at 10°S: 80° high at 9 pm MAR at 10°S: 62° high at 9 pm APR at 10°S: 32° high at 9 pm MAY at 10°S: 3° high at 9 pm JUN at 10°S: -27° high at 9 pm JUL at 10°S: -56° high at 9 pm AUG at 10°S: -80° high at 9 pm SEP at 10°S: -61° high at 9 pm OCT at 10°S: -32° high at 9 pm NOV at 10°S: -2° high at 9 pm DEC at 10°S: 27° high at 9 pm 20°S
JAN at 20°S: 53° high at 9 pm FEB at 20°S: 70° high at 9 pm MAR at 20°S: 57° high at 9 pm APR at 20°S: 31° high at 9 pm MAY at 20°S: 3° high at 9 pm JUN at 20°S: -26° high at 9 pm JUL at 20°S: -52° high at 9 pm AUG at 20°S: -70° high at 9 pm SEP at 20°S: -56° high at 9 pm OCT at 20°S: -30° high at 9 pm NOV at 20°S: -2° high at 9 pm DEC at 20°S: 26° high at 9 pm 30°S
JAN at 30°S: 47° high at 9 pm FEB at 30°S: 60° high at 9 pm MAR at 30°S: 51° high at 9 pm APR at 30°S: 28° high at 9 pm MAY at 30°S: 3° high at 9 pm JUN at 30°S: -23° high at 9 pm JUL at 30°S: -47° high at 9 pm AUG at 30°S: -60° high at 9 pm SEP at 30°S: -50° high at 9 pm OCT at 30°S: -28° high at 9 pm NOV at 30°S: -2° high at 9 pm DEC at 30°S: 24° high at 9 pm 40°S
JAN at 40°S: 41° high at 9 pm FEB at 40°S: 50° high at 9 pm MAR at 40°S: 43° high at 9 pm APR at 40°S: 24° high at 9 pm MAY at 40°S: 2° high at 9 pm JUN at 40°S: -21° high at 9 pm JUL at 40°S: -40° high at 9 pm AUG at 40°S: -50° high at 9 pm SEP at 40°S: -43° high at 9 pm OCT at 40°S: -24° high at 9 pm NOV at 40°S: -2° high at 9 pm DEC at 40°S: 21° 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 90°S.
LBN 987 is 14,500 light-years away
The light seen from LBN 987 tonight left it about 14,500 years ago. Distance source: Sh2-284, Dolidze 25 Gaia DR3, Hunt & Reffert 2023 (4.43 kpc).
8 Lynds bright nebulae and 2 Lynds dark nebulae lie within 5° of LBN 987
The nearest:
LBN 984, emission nebula, 10′ LBN 986, emission nebula, 18′ LBN 983, emission nebula, 25′ LBN 978, emission nebula, 2.1° LBN 972, emission nebula, 3.5° LBN 973, emission nebula, 3.5° LBN 971, emission nebula, 3.5° LBN 970, emission nebula, 3.5° LDN 1637, dark nebula, 3.8° LDN 1639, dark nebula, 4.7°
NGC and IC objects in the field that are brighter than magnitude 12.5 or have their own page:
LBN 987 catalog data
Field Value
Designations LBN 987 Constellation Monoceros Type emission nebula Right ascension (J2000) 06h 44.7m Declination (J2000) +00° 07′ Galactic longitude and latitude 212.06°, -1.45° Brightness class 4 of 6 (moderately faint) Color class 3 of 4 (reddish) Apparent size 20′ × 8′ True size 84.1 light-years Distance 14,500 light-years (Sh2-284, Dolidze 25 Gaia DR3, Hunt & Reffert 2023 (4.43 kpc)) Best with Camera Best month February Catalog page LBN 501 to 1000
