The Flying Dragon Nebula refers to two closely related nebulae in the constellation Cygnus, cataloged as Sh 2-113 and Sh 2-114 (sometimes also LBN 333 and LBN 347).
Sh 2-113 is a small planetary nebula about 27 light-years across and approximately 12,400 light-years away. It resembles a supernova remnant, but there is no evidence that it actually is one. It lies south of the bright star Deneb.
Sh 2-114, also called the Flying Dragon Nebula, is a very faint and complex H II emission nebula. It has a filamentary structure shaped like a winged dragon or bat and is part of a larger nebular complex including Sh 2-113. The exact formation is unknown, but it likely results from intense stellar winds from massive stars interacting with magnetic fields in the interstellar medium. It is very faint, primarily detected in the hydrogen-alpha (Ha) emission line, and is challenging for astrophotography and visual observation. The nebula’s striking appearance resembles a dragon in flight with wings outstretched.
Both nebulae are located in the rich star fields of the Milky Way in Cygnus and are part of a visually intriguing but scientifically less-studied region. Sh 2-114’s vivid red filaments are due to ionized hydrogen energized by ultraviolet radiation from nearby stars. Nearby objects include a bipolar planetary nebula Kronberger 26 (Kn 26).
In summary, the Flying Dragon Nebula name is most commonly associated with Sh 2-114, a faint emission nebula with dragon-like filaments, with Sh 2-113 often mentioned as a related nearby planetary nebula .
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