Retina Nebula
Also known as IC 4406
Retina Nebula is a planetary nebula in the constellation Lupus, about 8,570 light-years from Earth.
Planetary nebula in Lupus
Facts
| Type | Planetary nebula |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Lupus |
| Position (J2000) | 14h 22m 26s, −44° 09′ |
| Distance | 8,570 light-years (its light set off about 8,570 years ago) |
| Brightness | magnitude 10.9 (smaller is brighter; the faintest stars the eye sees are about 6) |
| Size on the sky | 0.5′ × 0.5′ (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 | 295 scientific papers (SIMBAD) |
When and how to see it
Retina Nebula is highest in the sky at midnight in April. From India (about 20° N) it climbs to about 26° above the horizon; from 50° N it never rises. 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.
Data: SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg; the site's weekly copy) · OpenNGC · Data sources & credits