Southern Ring Nebula
Also known as NGC 3132
Southern Ring Nebula is a planetary nebula in the constellation Vela, about 4,120 light-years from Earth.
Planetary nebula imaged by JWST
Facts
| Type | Planetary nebula (spectral type A2V) |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Vela |
| Position (J2000) | 10h 07m 01s, −40° 26′ |
| Distance | 4,120 light-years (its light set off about 4,120 years ago) |
| Brightness | magnitude 10.01 (smaller is brighter; the faintest stars the eye sees are about 6) |
| Size on the sky | 0.8′ × 0.8′ (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 | 426 scientific papers (SIMBAD) |
When and how to see it
Southern Ring Nebula is highest in the sky at midnight in February. From India (about 20° N) it climbs to about 30° 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.
More in Vela
Everything in Vela · All 88 constellations · All sky objects
Data: SIMBAD (CDS, Strasbourg; the site's weekly copy) · OpenNGC · Data sources & credits