How to Find 3 Different Kinds of Nebulae

Ring Nebula

• 1

  Locate Vega. It is the brightest star in the northern hemisphere in the summer sky.

• 2

  Look down from Vega and trace out the diamond or parallelogram shape of the Lyra constellation.

• 3

  Aim your telescope at the shortest side of the Lyra constellation. It's the side farthest from Vega.

• 4

  Look in the middle of the line. You should see a distinct cloudy ring, the ring nebula.

Orion Nebula

• 5

  Locate the Orion constellation. It is most visible in January and February in the southern hemisphere.

• 6

  Identify Orion's belt, which consists of three bright stars in a horizontal line at the center of the Orion constellation.

• 7

  Move down from Orion's belt to locate Orion's sword, a line of vertical stars.

• 8

  Point your telescope at the center of the sword. That is where the nebula is.

Crab Nebula

• 9

  Locate Betelgeuse and Almath on your star chart. Betelgeuse is a bright red star at the armpit of the Orion constellation. Almath is the second-brightest star in Taurus and represents its left horn.

• 10

  Look for both stars in the night sky. Draw a line, mentally or with your finger, that connects them.

• 11

  Focus your telescope on Betelgeuse. Move the telescope along the line toward Almath.

• 12

  Look for the nebula in the telescope's lens. It is about two-thirds of the way to Almath, near the tip of Taurus's right horn. If you come to Almath, you have gone too far.