Saturn Nebula
Also known as NGC 7009
Saturn Nebula is a planetary nebula in the constellation Aquarius, about 4,320 light-years from Earth.
Planetary nebula in Aquarius
Facts
| Type | Planetary nebula |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Aquarius |
| Position (J2000) | 21h 04m 10s, −11° 21′ |
| Distance | 4,320 light-years (its light set off about 4,320 years ago) |
| Brightness | magnitude 12.07 (smaller is brighter; the faintest stars the eye sees are about 6) |
| Size on the sky | 0.7′ × 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 | 1,025 scientific papers (SIMBAD) |
When and how to see it
Saturn Nebula is highest in the sky at midnight in August. From India (about 20° N) it climbs to about 59° above the horizon; from 50° N, to about 29°. 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 Aquarius
Everything in Aquarius · All 88 constellations · All sky objects
Data: SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg; the site's weekly copy) · OpenNGC · Data sources & credits