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Dark nebula

The Pipe Nebula

Also Barnard 59 · Barnard 78 · LDN 1773

Open in OuranosCompare its size

A dark cloud of dust in Ophiuchus shaped like a smoker's pipe, blotting out the stars of the Milky Way behind it.

Measured

Distance
587 light-years
Size
about 42 light-years across (approximate)
Constellation
Ophiuchus
Position (J2000)
RA 17h 30m 00s, Dec −25.00°

How far, from the Sun

587 light-years. To cross it:

  • Light587 years
  • Voyager 1's speed10.4 million years
  • Driving at 100 km/h6.34 billion years

Voyager 1 at the speed it moved outward over the year to 2026-10-25 (JPL Horizons). Driving: nonstop, never refuelling.

Facts

  • It forms part of the Dark Horse, a larger shape of dark clouds.
  • The Snake Nebula lies close to it on the sky; the dark globule Barnard 68 is also in Ophiuchus.

Where this comes from

  • Zucker et al. 2020, A&A 633, A51 (180 pc, measured towards Barnard 59)
  • This research has made use of the SIMBAD database, CDS, Strasbourg, France (Wenger et al. 2000, A&AS 143, 9).
  • This research has made use of the VizieR catalogue access tool, CDS, Strasbourg, France (DOI: 10.26093/cds/vizier).

Every catalogue Ouranos draws is credited on the credits page.