Skull Nebula
Also known as NGC 246
Skull Nebula is a planetary nebula in the constellation Cetus, about 1,670 light-years from Earth.
Planetary nebula in Cetus
Facts
| Type | Planetary nebula (spectral type PG1159) |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Cetus |
| Position (J2000) | 0h 47m 03s, −11° 52′ |
| Distance | 1,670 light-years (its light set off about 1,670 years ago) |
| Brightness | magnitude 11.76 (smaller is brighter; the faintest stars the eye sees are about 6) |
| Size on the sky | 3.7′ × 3.7′ (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 | 492 scientific papers (SIMBAD) |
When and how to see it
Skull Nebula 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 28°. 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 Cetus
Everything in Cetus · All 88 constellations · All sky objects
Data: SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg; the site's weekly copy) · OpenNGC · Data sources & credits