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Reflection nebula · Orion

NGC 1999

Deep skyNGC 1999

Scientific overview

NGC 1999 is a reflection nebula in the constellation Orion. It shines at apparent magnitude 9.5 and spans about 2 arcminutes of sky.

Observation guide

Difficulty
Small telescope
Recommended equipment
≈ 80–100 mm telescope
Best observed
Winter (evening sky)
Best hemisphere
Both (equatorial)

Guidance follows standard observing practice, derived from the object's real magnitude and position. A dark, moonless sky always helps.

Location in the sky

Constellation
Orion
RA / Dec
5.607h / -6.7159°
Hemisphere
Both
Season
Winter

Precision measurements

Distances and velocities from SIMBAD · NGC 1999

Right ascension (ICRS)84.104167 degSIMBAD · measured
Declination (ICRS)-6.711667 degSIMBAD · measured
Full field-level provenance
  • Right ascension (ICRS): Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · SIMBAD · basic · ra · 2003A&A...399..141M · direct catalogue measurement · retrieved 2026-07-11
  • Declination (ICRS): Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) · SIMBAD · basic · dec · 2003A&A...399..141M · direct catalogue measurement · retrieved 2026-07-11

Physical size is derived from the OpenNGC angular size and the catalogued distance (small-angle: size = angle × distance). This is a Galactic object: its Doppler shift is shown as a radial velocity, not a cosmological redshift. Fields a source did not provide are omitted, never invented.

ObjectTypeMagSize (′)
Lower SwordNGC 1980Cluster with nebulosity2.59.3
Great Orion NebulaM 42 · NGC 1976Cluster with nebulosity490
Upper SwordNGC 1981Cluster with nebulosity4.29
NGC 1788NGC 1788Reflection nebula5.82
NGC 2169NGC 2169Open cluster5.97.2
NGC 1662NGC 1662Open cluster6.413.8
NGC 2175NGC 2175Cluster with nebulosity6.85.4
NGC 1973NGC 1973Nebula75

Sources

The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.

  • OpenNGCOpenNGC (M. Verga) — NGC/IC, Messier, and Caldwell catalogue data

    Openly-licensed deep-sky catalogue: object types, positions, magnitudes, sizes, morphology, and cross-identifiers.