Blinking Planetary
Also known as NGC 6826
Blinking Planetary is a planetary nebula in the constellation Cygnus, about 5,190 light-years from Earth.
Planetary nebula in Cygnus that seems to blink as you look at it and away
Facts
| Type | Planetary nebula (spectral type O3f(H)) |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Cygnus |
| Position (J2000) | 19h 44m 48s, +50° 31′ |
| Distance | 5,190 light-years (its light set off about 5,190 years ago) |
| Brightness | magnitude 9.36 (smaller is brighter; the faintest stars the eye sees are about 6) |
| Size on the sky | 0.7′ × 0.6′ (the full Moon is about 31′) |
| Filter | OIII filter (Planetary nebulae and supernova remnants shine mostly in the green light of doubly ionised oxygen: an OIII filter passes it and darkens the sky around it.) |
| Studied in | 741 scientific papers (SIMBAD) |
When and how to see it
Blinking Planetary is highest in the sky at midnight in July. From India (about 20° N) it climbs to about 59° above the horizon; from 50° N, to about 89°. To see it you need a small telescope.
Heights are worked out for India and for 50° N. Set your location in Settings to see them for where you are.
For tonight's best time from your own town, the darkness and the Moon, open it on the map and see its "Tonight from your location" card.
More in Cygnus
- Cooling Tower Cluster (M29)
- Cygnus A
- Cygnus X-1
- Fireworks Galaxy
- M39 (NGC 7092)
- North America Nebula
- Pelican Nebula
- Veil Nebula
Everything in Cygnus · All 88 constellations · All sky objects
Data: SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg; the site's weekly copy) · OpenNGC · Data sources & credits