Crescent Nebula
NGC 6888
Properties
Position & Identifiers
Visibility
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Survey Image
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About Crescent Nebula
Description
The Crescent Nebula (NGC 6888) is an emission nebula in Cygnus, about 5,000 light-years away. It is formed by the fast stellar wind from the Wolf-Rayet star WR 136 colliding with slower material the star ejected when it was a red supergiant.
Observing Tips
A challenging visual target. An OIII filter is almost essential, revealing the crescent-shaped arc in an 8-inch or larger telescope. Located near the center of Cygnus in the rich Milky Way, which provides a spectacular star field. Best in summer.
History
Discovered by William Herschel on September 15, 1792. The nebula is a textbook example of a wind-blown bubble created by a massive star's violent final evolutionary stages before it eventually explodes as a supernova.
Fun Facts
The Wolf-Rayet star WR 136 at the center is losing mass at a staggering rate and will likely explode as a supernova within a few hundred thousand years. The nebula is expanding at about 75 km/s.
Community Photos (1)
Credit: Chuck Ayoub. License: CC0. (Wikimedia Commons)
Skybred Mar 2, 2026