Blue Snowball Nebula
Also known as NGC 7662
Blue Snowball Nebula is a planetary nebula in the constellation Andromeda, about 6,100 light-years from Earth.
Bright blue planetary nebula in Andromeda
Facts
| Type | Planetary nebula |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Andromeda |
| Position (J2000) | 23h 25m 53s, +42° 32′ |
| Distance | 6,100 light-years (its light set off about 6,100 years ago) |
| Brightness | magnitude 8.3 (smaller is brighter; the faintest stars the eye sees are about 6) |
| Size on the sky | 0.4′ × 0.4′ (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 | 943 scientific papers (SIMBAD) |
When and how to see it
Blue Snowball Nebula is highest in the sky at midnight in September. From India (about 20° N) it climbs to about 67° above the horizon; from 50° N, to about 83°. To see it you need binoculars.
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 Andromeda
Everything in Andromeda · All 88 constellations · All sky objects
Data: SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg; the site's weekly copy) · OpenNGC · Data sources & credits