An astrophotographer has found an oxygen-rich nebula in the constellation Scorpius. What makes this discovery truly special is that scientists have examined this constellation several times, but have never found the Stinger Nebula.

Astrophotographer Steve Boddy has found a never-before-seen cluster of oxygen in the constellation Scorpius. This formation, called the Phantom Stinger Nebula — whose name can perhaps be translated as “ghost needle” — has escaped the attention of professional and amateur astronomers for decades, he writes. IFLScience.

This discovery comes thanks to an amateur project that aims to explore the sky at a wavelength that observatories have not yet done. This is the range 495.9-500.7 where doubly ionized oxygen releases energy in two strong spectral lines. And since the present discovery has been made in a constellation so carefully studied, the case clearly shows how much can be hidden even in Scorpio, and in general in that part of the universe that we know.

Recording artist Body is also known as a music producer and astrophotographer. Tim Schaefer, an undergraduate student studying astronomy, had previously approached him about joining a team called New Horizons. The goal of the project is to find a nebula rich in oxygen.

The man lives in Bentley, which is not far from central Melbourne. That’s why there’s so much light pollution, but he used filters in his backyard, which removes a large portion of the light pollution. He and his team looked for a bluish light in the recordings, indicating the presence of oxygen.

The body and the team tried for a long time, but they did not succeed. They thought that if there was oxygen there, a larger telescope and 100 hours of exposure would be needed. Then try to search for the supernova remnant in Scorpio with an exposure of 15-20 hours. That’s when he came across the Blue Spot, which was far enough away from a previous supernova to be a supernova remnant.

It is not yet known exactly what the source of oxygen is. Granted, no one had discovered the nebula before, so Boddy and the team were right to name the formation — which scientists will likely study in the future.

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