# Nebula

Also called: nebulae.

A cloud of gas and dust in space — glowing on its own, reflecting starlight, or blocking the light behind it.

“Nebula” is Latin for mist, and once meant any fuzzy patch in a telescope (galaxies included). Today it means interstellar clouds of gas and dust. They come in several kinds: [emission nebulae](https://astropilot.space/glossary/emission-nebula) that glow like neon signs, [reflection nebulae](https://astropilot.space/glossary/reflection-nebula) lit by nearby stars, [dark nebulae](https://astropilot.space/glossary/dark-nebula) seen in silhouette, and the shells cast off by dying stars — [planetary nebulae](https://astropilot.space/glossary/planetary-nebula) and [supernova remnants](https://astropilot.space/glossary/supernova-remnant).

**At the eyepiece:** Most nebulae look grey to the eye, which can't see colour in faint light. A [nebula filter](https://astropilot.space/glossary/nebula-filter) can transform the emission kinds.

**Examples:** [M42](https://astropilot.space/object/M42.md), [M8](https://astropilot.space/object/M8.md), [NGC7000](https://astropilot.space/object/NGC7000.md), [M57](https://astropilot.space/object/M57.md)

**Related:** [Emission nebula](https://astropilot.space/glossary/emission-nebula.md), [Reflection nebula](https://astropilot.space/glossary/reflection-nebula.md), [Dark nebula](https://astropilot.space/glossary/dark-nebula.md), [Planetary nebula](https://astropilot.space/glossary/planetary-nebula.md), [Supernova remnant](https://astropilot.space/glossary/supernova-remnant.md), [Nebula filter](https://astropilot.space/glossary/nebula-filter.md)

From the AstroPilot astronomy glossary: https://astropilot.space/glossary/nebula