TL;DR
Get school and study supplies delivered free — and shop member deals
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Access to Prime Big Deal Days deals on October 6–7
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day for Oct. 2, 2026, features an image containing all 313 objects in the Sharpless catalog of H II regions. Astrophotographer Bing Xin said the project took around 800 hours, with each object requiring two to six hours of imaging.
NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day on Oct. 2, 2026, features a composite image containing all 313 objects in the Sharpless catalog, a collection known for cataloging H II regions. The image, credited to astrophotographer Bing Xin, brings together observations made across dark-sky locations in eastern China and Inner Mongolia and represents about 800 hours of imaging work.
NASA’s APOD description says the full image includes familiar targets such as the Eagle Nebula (Sh2-49), the Heart Nebula (Sh2-190) and the Orion Nebula (Sh2-281). It also points out that the catalog is not limited to H II regions, despite its name: the objects shown include the Medusa Nebula (Sh2-274), a planetary nebula, and the Spaghetti Nebula (Sh2-240), a supernova remnant.
According to the APOD description, Xin photographed the objects from dark-sky sites in eastern China and Inner Mongolia. The project used narrowband filters that primarily capture light from ionized hydrogen and oxygen, alongside red, green and blue filters. NASA says each object took two to six hours to capture, and the full catalog required around 800 hours.
The image is presented as an opportunity to zoom in and explore the individual nebulae. The published credit names Bing Xin as the astrophotographer and lists Keighley Rockcliffe, Robert Nemiroff, Jerry Bonnell and Cecilia Chirenti as authors and editors. NASA’s page identifies the service as supported by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA Science Activation and Michigan Technological University.
A Catalog Seen as One Project
The APOD feature gives readers a single visual entry point to a catalog whose objects are commonly encountered as separate targets. Bringing 313 catalog entries into one presentation makes it easier to compare the range of structures and colors across the collection, while the image’s zoomable format invites closer inspection of individual objects.
The project also conveys the time involved in wide-ranging amateur and professional astrophotography. NASA reports that each target required two to six hours and that the complete effort took around 800 hours. Those figures describe the capture time reported for this project; the APOD text does not provide a breakdown of processing, travel or other work.
For readers interested in astronomy, the image illustrates that a catalog label does not guarantee that every entry is the same kind of object. The collection includes H II regions, a planetary nebula and a supernova remnant, among other targets, as the APOD description notes. That variety makes the image useful not only as a gallery but also as a visual guide to several kinds of nebulae.
astrophotography telescope for nebulae
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
What the Sharpless Catalog Includes
The Sharpless catalog is described by NASA’s APOD as a catalog of H II regions, areas associated with ionized hydrogen. Its 313 objects are identified with Sh2 designations, as seen in examples such as Sh2-49 and Sh2-281. The Oct. 2 feature presents the catalog as a whole rather than focusing on just one nebula.
NASA’s description emphasizes that the catalog’s contents extend beyond the category in its title. It identifies the Medusa Nebula as a planetary nebula and the Spaghetti Nebula as a supernova remnant. This distinction is useful when interpreting the composite: the catalog gathers notable nebula-like objects, but its entries do not all represent the same physical process.
For the project, Xin combined narrowband observations of ionized hydrogen and oxygen with red-green-blue filter data. These are the methods and locations specified in the APOD caption. The source does not give technical details for each exposure or explain how the separate observations were assembled into the final presentation.
narrowband filters for astrophotography
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Details Beyond the Caption
The APOD entry identifies the photographer, general observing locations, filters and approximate capture time, but it does not specify the dates of the observations, the number of separate observing sessions or how the final image was processed. It also does not provide a technical image file, a detailed map of the catalog entries or a per-object record of exposure times.
The estimate of around 800 hours is attributed to the APOD description. The source does not clarify whether that total includes only image capture or also other parts of the project, so it should not be treated as a complete accounting of all labor. The source material also does not describe independent verification of the total or offer additional comments from Xin.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Explore the Published Image
The immediate next step for readers is to view and zoom into the Oct. 2 APOD image to examine the individual catalog objects. NASA’s caption suggests comparing familiar examples, including the Eagle, Heart and Orion nebulae, with the Medusa and Spaghetti nebulae, which represent different object types.
The supplied APOD entry does not announce a follow-up release, new observations or another milestone for the project. Further technical information would depend on additional material from the photographer or NASA. The page also notes that the APOD email address for image submissions has changed and directs prospective submitters to its submissions information.
astrophotography camera for deep sky objects
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Key Questions
What does the Oct. 2, 2026, APOD image show?
It presents all 313 objects in the Sharpless catalog, which NASA describes as a catalog of H II regions. The APOD caption also notes that some entries are other types of nebulae.
Who made the image, and how long did it take?
The image is credited to astrophotographer Bing Xin. NASA’s description says each object took two to six hours to capture and the full catalog took around 800 hours.
Are all 313 objects H II regions?
Not according to the APOD description. It identifies the Medusa Nebula as a planetary nebula and the Spaghetti Nebula as a supernova remnant, despite the catalog’s H II-region title.
What filters were used?
NASA says the project used narrowband filters that primarily capture light from ionized hydrogen and oxygen, along with red, green and blue filters.
Where can readers see the full image?
The image accompanies NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day for October 2, 2026. The APOD description invites viewers to zoom in and explore its catalog entries.
Source: primary
Fall Picks
fall essentials
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
