Dumbbell Nebula

planetary nebula · M27 · in Vulpecula

1,260 light-years from Earth

The first planetary nebula ever found, by Charles Messier in 1764: the outer layers of a dying Sun-like star, blown off over the last 10,000 years or so. From Earth its brightest gas looks like an apple core.

• 1,260 light-years (Gaia) · about 3 light-years across
• its central star is over 100,000 °C

kind

nebula

catalogue

M27 · NGC 6853

size

2.9 light-years across