NGC-6334-JWST-NIRCam

NGC 6334 · nebula

Cat's Paw Nebula

NGC 6334 is a massive emission nebula and star-forming region located in the constellation Scorpius.

RA17h 20m 49sDec−36° 06' 09"

Image: NASA and the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI). Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

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Identity & coordinates

Identification

Primary designation
NGC 6334
All designations
NGC 6334 · Cat's Paw Nebula
Object type
Nebula
Constellation
Scorpius
Best viewing
Summer

Coordinates & physical

Right ascension (J2000)
17h 20m 49s
Declination (J2000)
−36° 06' 09"
Apparent magnitude (V)
Distance
III

Visibility tonight

V

The science

NGC 6334 is a massive emission nebula and star-forming region located in the constellation Scorpius. It is colloquially known as the Cat's Paw Nebula, and can be found 3° to the west-northwest of the bright star Lambda Scorpii. NGC 6334 was discovered by English astronomer John Herschel on June 7, 1837, who observed it from the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. It spans an angular area larger than the full Moon. This structure is located in the Carina–Sagittarius Arm of the Milky Way, at a distance of approximately 5.5 thousand light-years from the Sun.

Summary adapted from Wikipedia · CC-BY-SA-4.0

VII

References

1 merge conflict resolved
  • coordinates: SIMBAD missing → NED used