A breathtaking image of the Medulla Nebula, also known as the Garlic Nebula, has been unveiled by Kentucky-based astrophotographer David Joyce. This stunning deep space photograph showcases light from the remnants of a supernova that occurred approximately 10,000 years ago. The captivating view was achieved over a span of 50 hours during September 2025.
The nebula, officially designated as CTB 1, is located in the constellation Cassiopeia, roughly 9,132 light-years from Earth. Its unique shape has drawn comparisons to both garlic bulbs and the human brain. This nebula has been observed emitting signals in radio, X-ray, and visible light, as the material expelled by the supernova interacts with surrounding interstellar gas.
Joyce reflected on the challenges of capturing this faint object from his light-polluted suburban backyard under Bortle 7 skies. “The Garlic Nebula is rather faint which is why I dedicated over 50 hours of exposure time to try to bring out more detail,” he explained in an email to Space.com.
To capture the ancient light from the Medulla Nebula, Joyce utilized an 8-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope equipped with a ZWO astronomy camera and various peripherals. He conducted his observations over seven clear nights in September, later processing the data with astronomy software to create the stunning image.
“I have wanted to image this supernova remnant since I started with astrophotography in 2020 but was never able to get it framed up just right with the equipment I had as it is so large in apparent size (almost exactly the size of a full moon) in the sky,” Joyce noted. After upgrading to a new camera with a larger sensor, he finally managed to capture the nebula as he had envisioned, aligning it perfectly in his telescope.
This remarkable photograph not only highlights Joyce”s dedication as an astrophotographer but also serves as an invitation to others interested in capturing the night sky. For those eager to delve into astrophotography, resources on the best cameras, lenses, telescopes, and binoculars are readily available for exploration.
Editor”s Note: If you wish to share your own deep space astrophotography with readers, please send your images, along with your name and shooting location, to [email protected].
