NASA network engineer and astrophotographer Jason Livingston recently captured a stunning view of the Pelican Nebula, a colorful cosmic spectacle located 2,000 light-years away in the constellation Cygnus. Impressively, Livingston took this remarkable photo from his backyard in Henderson, Nevada, just a stone’s throw from the bright lights of Las Vegas.
This nebula, named for its resemblance to a pelican, reveals a cloud of gas and dust teeming with stars. Young stars in the nebula are reshaping it, contributing to its reputation as a stellar nursery where new stars are born. While the nebula itself can’t be seen with the naked eye, the brightest stars in the shot, 57 Cygni and 56 Cygni, are visible from areas with dark skies, near the brightest star in Cygnus, Deneb.
Livingston has been passionate about astronomy since high school, but he truly fell back in love with it over the last few years. “By day, I’m a network engineer at NASA, but by night, my telescopes work hard,” he shared. He used his Apertura CarbonStar 150 refractor telescope and a ZWO ASI533MC Pro camera to capture this remarkable image.
His process took time—27 hours over several nights in August 2025. Livingston employed narrowband imaging, which helps mitigate the impacts of light pollution—a common issue for urban astronomers. “While it gives some images a false color, the results can be striking,” he explained.
Livingston’s efforts reveal how amateur astronomers can produce breathtaking images, even in less-than-ideal conditions. According to a recent survey from the American Astronomical Society, more people are engaging in astronomy hobbies, especially during the pandemic, highlighting a growing appreciation for the night sky.
Livingston’s images remind us how science and art intersect, offering glimpses into the vast beauty of our universe. If you’re curious about getting started in the field, researching telescopes, cameras, and equipment suited for astrophotography can be quite rewarding.
For more information on star formation and astronomy, check out NASA’s educational resources here.
