The Sharpless catalog is a list of 313 H II regions (emission nebulae) intended to be comprehensive north of declination −27°. (It does include some nebulae south of that declination as well.) The first edition was published in 1953 with 142 objects (Sh1), and the second and final version was published by US astronomer Stewart Sharpless in 1959 with 312 objects. Sharpless also includes some planetary nebulae and supernova remnants, in addition to H II regions.

In 1953 Stewart Sharpless joined the staff of the United States Naval Observatory Flagstaff Station, where he surveyed and cataloged H II regions of the Milky Way using the images from the Palomar Sky Survey. From this work Sharpless published his catalog of H II regions in two editions: the first in 1953, with 142 nebulae;Stewart Sharpless, A Catalogue of Emission Nebulae Near the Galactic Plane, Astrophysical Journal, vol. 118, p.362, 1953 and the second and final edition in 1959, with 312 nebulae.Stewart Sharpless, A Catalogue of H II Regions, Astrophysical Journal Supplement, vol. 4, p.257, 1959

Sharpless coordinates are based on the star catalogs Bonner Durchmusterung (BD) and Cordoba Durchmusterung (CD), but the second release was adjusted to the 1900 epoch.

In the second release, some coordinates for southern hemisphere regions have an uncertainty over 1 minute of arc.Galaxy Map – The Gum, RCW, Sharpless and BFS catalogs This can make them difficult to find, so a revised catalog called BFS (Blitz, Fich and Stark) was released with 65 new regions and about 20 removals. Most of the removed items were the aforementioned nebula or remnants.

The 312 items in Sharpless sometimes overlap with the 110 Messier objects (M), 7,840 objects in the New General Catalogue (NGC), the Caldwell catalogue (itself a "best of" from other catalogues, with 109 items), and the RCW catalog. Contemporary catalogs were Gum and RCW, but they mainly covered the southern hemisphere.

Table Table of second Sharpless (1958 version) catalog; click on image for image credit, most of which are either various amateur astronomers, the ESO, ESA, or NASA

Sh2 No. common name Images Names and designationsSh 2-1 Sh 2-3 RCW 120 Sh 2-4 Sh 2-5 Sh 2-6 Bug Nebula Sh2-6, NGC 6302, Bug Nebula, PK 349+01 1, Butterfly Nebula, RCW 124, Gum 60, Caldwell 69Sh 2-8 NGC 6334 ESO 392-EN 009, Sharpless 8, RCW 127, Gum 64, NGC 6334Sh 2-9 Gum 65 Sh 2-10 RCW 130 Sh 2-11 War and Peace Nebula Sh2-11, NGC 6357, RCW 131, Gum 66, War and Peace NebulaSh 2-12 Sh 2-17 Sh 2-20 Sh 2-21 Sh 2-25 Lagoon Nebula Sh2 25, RCW 146, Gum 72, Messier 8Sh 2-27 Sh 2-29 Sharpless 29 Sh2 29, NGC 6559Sh 2-30 Trifid Nebula Sh2 30, Messier 20, NGC 6514, RCW 147, Gum 76Sh 2-31 Sh 2-34 Forgotten Nebula Gum 77, RCW 149, LBN 38Sh 2-37 Twiddlebug Nebula Gum 78, IC 1283/4, RCW 153, LBN 47Sh 2-41 LBN 51Sh 2-42 Sh 2-44 Sh 2-45 Omega Nebula Omega Nebula, Messier 17, NGC 6618, Swan Nebula, Sharpless 45, RCW 160, Gum 81Sh 2-46 Sh 2-49 Eagle Nebula Sh2 49, Messier 16, NGC 6611, RCW 165, Gum 83Sh 2-54 Sh 2-64 W 40 Sh2 64, RCW 174Sh 2-68 Sh 2-71 Sh 2-80 M1-67 Sh 2-82 Sh 2-86 Sh 2-88 Sh 2-92 SNR G65.3+5.7 Sh 2-101 Tulip Nebula Sharpless 101, Cygnus Star CloudSh 2-105 Crescent Nebula Sh2 105, NGC 6888, Sharpless 105, Caldwell 27Sh 2-106 Celestial Snow Angel Sh2-106, Celestial Snow AngelSh 2-112 Sh 2-113 Flying Dragon Nebula Sh 2-114 Sh 2-115 Sh 2-117 North America Nebula NGC 7000, Caldwell 20Sh 2-125 Cocoon Nebula IC 5146, Caldwell 19Sh 2-126 Sh 2-129 Sh 2-131 Elephant's Trunk Nebula Sh 2-132 Sh 2-136 Ghost Nebula Sh 2-140 Sh2-140 Sh2-140Sh 2-142 NGC 7380 Sh 2-155 Cave Nebula Sh2-155, Caldwell 9Sh 2-157 Sh 2-158 NGC 7538 Sh2-158, NGC 7538Sh 2-162 Bubble Nebula Sh2-162, NGC 7635, Bubble nebulaSh 2-170 Little Rosette Nebula Sh2-170, LBN 577, Little Rosette NebulaSh 2-171 NGC 7822 Sh2-171, NGC 7822Sh 2-174 Sh 2-184 NGC 281 NGC 281, IC 11Sh 2-185 Sh 2-188 Simeis 22 Sh 2-190 Heart Nebula Sh 2-191 Maffei 1 Sh2-191, Maffei 1, PGC 9892 Sh 2-197 Maffei 2 Sh2-197, Maffei 2, UGCA 39,PGC 10217,Sh 2-199 Soul Nebula Sh2-199, LBN 667, Soul Nebula, IC 1848 (cluster only)Sh 2-201 Sh 2-211, Sh 2-212 Tribble Nebulae NGC 1624, Sh2-211, Sh2-212Sh 2-216 Sh 2-220 California Nebula NGC 1499, Sharpless 220Sh 2-222 NGC 1579 Sh 2-229 Flaming Star Nebula Flaming Star Nebula, Caldwell 31, IC 405, Sh2-229Sh 2-230 Sh 2-232 Sh 2-237 NGC 1931 Sharpless 237Sh 2-238 Hind's Nebula NGC 1555, Hind's Nebula, Sharpless 238Sh 2-239 Sh 2-240 Simeis 147 Sh 2-244 Crab Nebula Messier 1, NGC 1952, Sh 2-248 Jellyfish Nebula IC 443, Sh2-248, Jellyfish NebulaSh 2-260 Sh 2-261 Sh 2-263 Sh 2-264 Sh 2-273 NGC 2264 Sh 2-274 Medusa Nebula Sh 2-275 Rosette Nebula Sh2-275, CTB 21 Sh 2-276 Barnard's Loop Sh2-276, Barnard's Loop Sh 2-277 Flame Nebula Sh2-271, NGC 2024 Sh 2-279 Running Man Nebula NGC 1973, NGC 1975, NGC 1977 Sh 2-281 Orion Nebula Messier 42, NGC 1976, LBN 974Sh 2-282 Sh 2-284 Sh 2-290 Abell 31 Sh 2-292 Seagull Nebula Sh 2-297 Ced 90, LBN 1039 Sh 2-298 Thor's Helmet Thor's Helmet, Gum 4, Sharpless 298, NGC 2359Sh 2-302 RCW 7 Sh 2-308 Sh 2-311 NGC 2467 Sh 2-313 Abell 35

List

Sh 2-1 Sh 2-2 Sh 2-3 Sh 2-4 Sh 2-5 Sh 2-6 Sh 2-7 Sh 2-8 Sh 2-9 Sh 2-10 Sh 2-11 Sh 2-12 Sh 2-13 Sh 2-14 Sh 2-15 Sh 2-16 Sh 2-17 Sh 2-18 Sh 2-19 Sh 2-20 Sh 2-21 Sh 2-22 Sh 2-23 Sh 2-24 Sh 2-25 Sh 2-26 Sh 2-27 Sh 2-28 Sh 2-29 Sh 2-30 Sh 2-31 Sh 2-32 Sh 2-33 Sh 2-34 Sh 2-35 Sh 2-36 Sh 2-37 Sh 2-38 Sh 2-39 Sh 2-40 Sh 2-41 Sh 2-42 Sh 2-43 Sh 2-44 Sh 2-45 Sh 2-46 Sh 2-47 Sh 2-48 Sh 2-49 Sh 2-50 Sh 2-51 Sh 2-52 Sh 2-53 Sh 2-54 Sh 2-55 Sh 2-56 Sh 2-57 Sh 2-58 Sh 2-59 Sh 2-60 Sh 2-61 Sh 2-62 Sh 2-63 Sh 2-64 Sh 2-65 Sh 2-66 Sh 2-67 Sh 2-68 Sh 2-69 Sh 2-70 Sh 2-71 Sh 2-72 Sh 2-73 Sh 2-74 Sh 2-75 Sh 2-76 Sh 2-77 Sh 2-78 Sh 2-79 Sh 2-80 Sh 2-81 Sh 2-82 Sh 2-83 Sh 2-84 Sh 2-85 Sh 2-86 Sh 2-87 Sh 2-88 Sh 2-89 Sh 2-90 Sh 2-91 Sh 2-92 Sh 2-93 Sh 2-94 Sh 2-95 Sh 2-96 Sh 2-97 Sh 2-98 Sh 2-99 Sh 2-100 Sh 2-101 Sh 2-102 Sh 2-103 Sh 2-104 Sh 2-105 Sh 2-106 Sh 2-107 Sh 2-108 Sh 2-109 Sh 2-110 Sh 2-111 Sh 2-112 Sh 2-113 Sh 2-114 Sh 2-115 Sh 2-116 Sh 2-117 Sh 2-118 Sh 2-119 Sh 2-120 Sh 2-121 Sh 2-122 Sh 2-123 Sh 2-124 Sh 2-125 Sh 2-126 Sh 2-127 Sh 2-128 Sh 2-129 Sh 2-130 Sh 2-131 Sh 2-132 Sh 2-133 Sh 2-134 Sh 2-135 Sh 2-136 Sh 2-137 Sh 2-138 Sh 2-139 Sh 2-140 Sh 2-141 Sh 2-142 Sh 2-143 Sh 2-144 Sh 2-145 Sh 2-146 Sh 2-147 Sh 2-148 Sh 2-149 Sh 2-150 Sh 2-151 Sh 2-152 Sh 2-153 Sh 2-154 Sh 2-155 Sh 2-156 Sh 2-157 Sh 2-158 Sh 2-159 Sh 2-160 Sh 2-161 Sh 2-162 Sh 2-163 Sh 2-164 Sh 2-165 Sh 2-166 Sh 2-167 Sh 2-168 Sh 2-169 Sh 2-170 Sh 2-171 Sh 2-172 Sh 2-173 Sh 2-174 Sh 2-175 Sh 2-176 Sh 2-177 Sh 2-178 Sh 2-179 Sh 2-180 Sh 2-181 Sh 2-182 Sh 2-183 Sh 2-184 Sh 2-185 Sh 2-186 Sh 2-187 Sh 2-188 Sh 2-189 Sh 2-190 Sh 2-191 Sh 2-192 Sh 2-193 Sh 2-194 Sh 2-195 Sh 2-196 Sh 2-197 Sh 2-198 Sh 2-199 Sh 2-200 Sh 2-201 Sh 2-202 Sh 2-203 Sh 2-204 Sh 2-205 Sh 2-206 Sh 2-207 Sh 2-208 Sh 2-209 Sh 2-210 Sh 2-211 Sh 2-212 Sh 2-213 Sh 2-214 Sh 2-215 Sh 2-216 Sh 2-217 Sh 2-218 Sh 2-219 Sh 2-220 Sh 2-221 Sh 2-222 Sh 2-223 Sh 2-224 Sh 2-225 Sh 2-226 Sh 2-227 Sh 2-228 Sh 2-229 Sh 2-230 Sh 2-231 Sh 2-232 Sh 2-233 Sh 2-234 Sh 2-235 Sh 2-236 Sh 2-237 Sh 2-238 Sh 2-239 Sh 2-240 Sh 2-241 Sh 2-242 Sh 2-243 Sh 2-244 Sh 2-245 Sh 2-246 Sh 2-247 Sh 2-248 Sh 2-249 Sh 2-250 Sh 2-251 Sh 2-252 Sh 2-253 Sh 2-254 Sh 2-255 Sh 2-256 Sh 2-257 Sh 2-258 Sh 2-259 Sh 2-260 Sh 2-261 Sh 2-262 Sh 2-263 Sh 2-264 Sh 2-265 Sh 2-266 Sh 2-267 Sh 2-268 Sh 2-269 Sh 2-270 Sh 2-271 Sh 2-272 Sh 2-273 Sh 2-274 Sh 2-275 Sh 2-276 Sh 2-277 Sh 2-278 Sh 2-279 Sh 2-280 Sh 2-281 Sh 2-282 Sh 2-283 Sh 2-284 Sh 2-285 Sh 2-286 Sh 2-287 Sh 2-288 Sh 2-289 Sh 2-290 Sh 2-291 Sh 2-292 Sh 2-293 Sh 2-294 Sh 2-295 Sh 2-296 Sh 2-297 Sh 2-298 Sh 2-299 Sh 2-300 Sh 2-301 Sh 2-302 Sh 2-303 Sh 2-304 Sh 2-305 Sh 2-306 Sh 2-307 Sh 2-308 Sh 2-309 Sh 2-310 Sh 2-311 Sh 2-312 Sh 2-313

See also Gum Catalog RCW Catalog List of star-forming regions in the Local Group

References

External links Original catalog Illustrated and annotated commentary SIMBAD Sh2 listing Sh2 images