Caldwell 20
C20
👁️ Naked-eye
📋 A written introduction is coming — for now this page shows official values only.
Object
- Type (NASA)
- Emission Nebula
- Distance from Earth
- 1,800 light-years
- Apparent magnitude
- 5 mag
- NASA description
- C20's shape resembles the North American continent, giving it the nickname of the North America Nebula.
Source:NASA Hubble (Messier/Caldwell catalogs) · checked 2026-11-02 ↗
Related
Constellation
In everyday life
- Light from this object takes about 1,800 years to reach Earth — the light you see tonight left around AD 226 (official distance ÷ speed of light).
- At magnitude 5 it is bright enough for the naked eye (limit about 6) — look from somewhere dark.
- It lies in Cygnus — find the constellation first to know where to look.