Planetary Nebula in Aquarius
Planetary nebulae have nothing to do with planets except that some of them are round, and therefore they can look like dim and distant planets through a telescope. They actually come in a variety of shapes, and NGC 7009 happens to have two thin projections that make it look a bit like the planet Saturn with its rings. The bright central region of this nebula has a distinct blue-green appearance, though it is greatly overexposed in this image, and many fine structural details of the nebula are obscured.
Also known as Caldwell 55, this nebula is small but bright, and it is a good target for telescopes of all sizes.
| Magnitude | 7.8 |
| Apparent Size | 0.5' x 0.4' |
| Distance (light yrs) | 3000 |
| Right Ascension | 21:04.2 |
| Declination | -11 22 |
Image details: 16 images, each 150 seconds at ISO 1600, taken with a Canon 400D camera through a Meade 12” telescope at f/10.
October 2008