Little Dumbbell Nebula (M76)
Also known as M76 · M 76 · Little Dumbbell Nebula · NGC 650 · Barbell Nebula
Little Dumbbell Nebula (M76) is a planetary nebula in the constellation Perseus, about 4,680 light-years from Earth.
Facts
| Type | Planetary nebula (spectral type DOZ) |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Perseus |
| Position (J2000) | 1h 42m 19s, +51° 34′ |
| Distance | 4,680 light-years (its light set off about 4,680 years ago) |
| Brightness | magnitude 17.48 (smaller is brighter; the faintest stars the eye sees are about 6) |
| Size on the sky | 2.3′ × 2.3′ (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 | 387 scientific papers (SIMBAD) |
When and how to see it
Little Dumbbell Nebula (M76) is highest in the sky at midnight in October. From India (about 20° N) it climbs to about 58° above the horizon; from 50° N, to about 88°. To see it you need a large telescope or long-exposure photos.
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 Perseus
- Alpha Persei Cluster
- California Nebula
- Double Cluster
- M34 (NGC 1039)
- Mirfak
- NGC 1277
- Perseus A (NGC 1275)
- Perseus Cluster
Everything in Perseus · All 88 constellations · All sky objects
Data: SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg; the site's weekly copy) · OpenNGC · Data sources & credits