Little Gem Nebula
Also known as NGC 6818
Little Gem Nebula is a planetary nebula in the constellation Sagittarius, about 6,780 light-years from Earth.
Planetary nebula in Sagittarius
Facts
| Type | Planetary nebula |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Sagittarius |
| Position (J2000) | 19h 43m 57s, −14° 09′ |
| Distance | 6,780 light-years (its light set off about 6,780 years ago) |
| Brightness | magnitude 9.3 (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 | 360 scientific papers (SIMBAD) |
When and how to see it
Little Gem Nebula is highest in the sky at midnight in July. From India (about 20° N) it climbs to about 56° above the horizon; from 50° N, to about 26°. 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 Sagittarius
- Lagoon Nebula (M8)
- M18 (NGC 6613)
- M21 (NGC 6531)
- M23 (NGC 6494)
- Omega Nebula (M17)
- Sagittarius A*
- Sagittarius Cluster (M22)
- Trifid Nebula (M20)
Everything in Sagittarius · All 88 constellations · All sky objects
Data: SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg; the site's weekly copy) · OpenNGC · Data sources & credits