Dumbbell (M27)

Object Type: Planetary Nebula
Scope: AP 5" Refractor; Exposure 4 hours 19 minutes.

The Dumbbell Nebula (Messier 27, NGC 6853) is a bright planetary nebula about 1,360 light-years away in Vulpecula, the expanding gas shell shed by a dying star. It holds a special place in history as the first planetary nebula ever discovered, found by Charles Messier in 1764. At magnitude 7.5 and about 8 arcminutes across, it is an easy target in binoculars and a favorite in amateur telescopes. It is roughly 10,000-14,000 years old.