IC 1318 (Gamma Cygni Nebula) · ATR2600C · 2026-09-07
IC 1318, commonly called the Gamma Cygni Nebula or the Sadr Region, is a large emission (HII) nebula in Cygnus surrounding the bright star Sadr (Gamma Cygni) as seen in projection, though the two are not physically associated: Sadr itself lies roughly 1,800 light-years away, while the nebula is much farther, at around 4,900 light-years.
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IC 1318, commonly called the Gamma Cygni Nebula or the Sadr Region, is a large emission (HII) nebula in Cygnus surrounding the bright star Sadr (Gamma Cygni) as seen in projection, though the two are not physically associated: Sadr itself lies roughly 1,800 light-years away, while the nebula is much farther, at around 4,900 light-years. The nebula is ionized by a hot, heavily obscured O-type star and spans over 100 light-years, laced throughout with dark dust lanes and nebulae that give it a mottled, textured appearance. It sits in a particularly rich part of the Cygnus Milky Way, near other notable emission nebulae including the Butterfly Nebula and the Crescent Nebula. Hα, O III, and S II narrowband filters all work well here, revealing intricate structure that is largely invisible in broadband images.
