Below is a list of the largest known nebulae so far discovered, ordered by actual diameter. This list is prone to change because of inconsistencies between studies, the great distances of nebulae from our stellar neighborhood, and the constant refinement of technology and engineering.
Nebulae have no standardized boundaries, so the measurements are subject to revision. Lastly, scientists are still defining the features and parameters of nebulae. Because of these rapid developments and adjustments, this list might be potentially unreliable.
Image | Nebula | Maximum dimension (in light-years/parsecs) |
Type | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
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NGC 262 Halo Cloud | 1,300,000 ly (400,000 pc)[1] | H I region | Spiral nebula surrounding NGC 262, which is one of the largest known galaxies. |
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Leo Ring | 650,000 ly (200,000 pc)[2] | HVC | |
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Magellanic Stream | 600,000 ly (180,000 pc)[3] | complex of HVCs | Connects the Large and Small Magellanic clouds; extends across 180° of the sky. |
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Lyman-alpha blob 1 | 300,000 ly (92,000 pc)[4] | LαB | Largest blob in the LAB Giant Concentration[citation needed] |
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Himiko Gas Cloud | 55,000 ly (17,000 pc)[5] | Intergalactic cloud (possible LαB) |
One of the most massive lyman-alpha blobs known |
HVC 127-41-330 | 20,000 ly (6,100 pc)[6] | HVC | ||
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Smith's Cloud | 9,800 ly (3,000 pc)[7] | HVC | Extends about 20° of the sky |
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Tarantula Nebula | 1,895 ly (581 pc)[8][a] | H II region | Most active starburst region in the Local Group |
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NGC 604 | 1,520 ly (470 pc)[9][10][b] | H II region | Located in the Triangulum Galaxy |
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N44 | 1,000 ly (310 pc)[11] | Emission nebula | |
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N11 | 1,000 ly (310 pc)[12] | H II region | |
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NGC 2404 | 940 ly (290 pc) | H II region | Largest H II region located in the spiral galaxy NGC 2403 |
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NGC 595 | 880 ly (270 pc)[13] | H II region | |
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Ring Nebula (NGC 6822) | 838 ly (257 pc) | H II region | The Ring Nebula is located in the lower right of the image |
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Gum Nebula | 809–950 ly (248–291 pc)[14][15] | Emission nebula | Extends about 36° of the sky |
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Bubble Nebula (NGC 6822) | 758 ly (232 pc)[16][17][18] | H II region | The Bubble Nebula is located in the upper left of the image |
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NGC 6188 | 600 ly (180 pc)[19] | Emission nebula | |
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NGC 592 | 580 ly (180 pc)[20][21] | H II region | |
Sh2-310 | 531–681 ly (163–209 pc)[22][c] | H II region | Nebula surrounding VY Canis Majoris, which is one of largest known stars. | |
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Carina Nebula | 460 ly (140 pc)[23] | H II region | Nearest giant H II region to Earth |
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Dragonfish Nebula | 450 ly (140 pc)[24] | Emission nebula | |
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N119 | 430–570 ly (131–175 pc)[25] | H II region | Peculiar S-shape |
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RCW 49 | 350 ly (110 pc)[26] | H II region | |
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Heart Nebula | 330 ly (100 pc)[27] | H II region | |
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Henize 70 (N70 or DEM L301)[28] | 300 ly (92 pc)[29] | H II region | The N 70 Nebula, in the Large Magellanic Cloud has a shell structure and is really a bubble in space. It is a "Super Bubble". |
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Barnard's Loop | 300 ly (92 pc)[30][31] | H II region | |
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Sh2-54 | 252 ly (77 pc)[32][33] | H II region | |
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Prawn Nebula | 250 ly (77 pc)[34] | H II region | |
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Simeis 147 | 160 ly (49 pc)[35] | Supernova remnant | |
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NGC 7822 | 150 ly (46 pc)[36] | Emission nebula | |
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IC 2944 | 142 ly (44 pc)[37][38] | Emission nebula | |
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Eagle Nebula | 140 ly (43 pc)[39] | H II region | Part of another diffuse nebula IC 4703. |
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Rosette Nebula | 130 ly (40 pc)[40] | H II region | |
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RCW 79 | 122 ly (37 pc)[41] | Emission nebula | |
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Lagoon Nebula | 110 ly (34 pc)[42] | H II region | |
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NGC 3576 | 100 ly (31 pc)[43] | Emission nebula | |
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N41 | 100 ly (31 pc)[44] | Emission nebula | |
The following well-known nebulae are listed for the purpose of comparison. | ||||
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Orion Nebula | 20 ly (6.132 pc)[45] | Diffuse Nebula | |
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Crab Nebula | 11 ly (3.4 pc)[46] | Supernova remnant | |
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Bubble Nebula | 6[47]-10[48][49] ly (1.84-3.066 pc) | Emission nebula | |
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Helix Nebula | 5.74 ly (1.76 pc)[50] | Emission nebula | |
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Eightburst Nebula | 0.8 ly (0.2453 pc)[51] | Emission nebula | |
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Homunculus Nebula | 0.58 ly (0.1778 pc) [52] | Emission nebula | Surrounds the star system Eta Carinae. |
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Stingray Nebula | 0.16 ly (0.049 pc)[53] | Emission nebula | One of the smallest nebulae. |