About NGC 2068
NGC 2068 is a common nebula. It sits in the constellation Ori and shines at apparent magnitude 8.
Clouds of gas and dust light-years across, where new stars are forged.
Common nebula 20 EP
NGC 2068
RA 86.6909° · Dec 0.0793° · openngc
Score breakdown
· 2 badgesCommon 24 pts → Uncommon
- Messier object +12
- Nebula +8
Total score 20
4 more points to reach Uncommon.
Badges
- Nebula · +8
- Messier object · +12
Trivia
Cosmic context
- Stellar nursery. Clouds of gas and dust light-years across, where new stars are forged.
Properties
- constellation
- Ori
- dso type
- RfN
- mag
- 8
- messier
- yes
- messier number
- 078
- name
- NGC 2068
How to see it
Look for NGC 2068 in the constellation Ori. At apparent magnitude 8, it is an easy target for binoculars.
Like any astronomical target, NGC 2068 is best seen from a dark site away from city lights, and when it is above the horizon depends on your latitude and the time of year. The visibility panel above works out tonight's viewing window for your saved location.
Why NGC 2068 is a common nebula
NGC 2068 scores 20 points on Spacedle's rarity scale, which places it in the common tier. Another 4 points would lift it into a rarer tier.
That score comes from 2 science badges — Nebula and Messier object — each earned for a real, measurable property of the object. Rarity on Spacedle is never random: the more remarkable an object's astrophysics, the more badges it collects, the higher it scores, and the rarer it ranks.