The brightest nebulae

The brightest nebula in this catalogue is Lower Sword, at apparent magnitude 2.50 (V). Next are Carina Nebula and Christmas Tree Cluster.

Clouds of gas and dust bright enough to pick out with modest equipment. The famous ones — Orion, the Lagoon, the Ring — are all here, and all of them are either stellar nurseries or the remains of a star that has died.