Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Ursa Major (UMa)  ·  Contains:  M 97  ·  NGC 3587  ·  Owl nebula
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M97 - The Owl Nebula in Ursa Major, Hap Griffin
M97 - The Owl Nebula in Ursa Major
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M97 - The Owl Nebula in Ursa Major

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M97 - The Owl Nebula in Ursa Major, Hap Griffin
M97 - The Owl Nebula in Ursa Major
Powered byPixInsight

M97 - The Owl Nebula in Ursa Major

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Description

Messier Object #97 (M97), otherwise known as the "Owl Nebula" in the constellation Ursa Major. It is an object known as a "planetary nebula", which gets its name from the fact that through a telescope, the round shape of these nebulae appear similar to planets (but much larger). It was discovered in 1781 by the French astronomer Pierre Mechain who's drawing of it resembled an owl's head with its two large eyes. The name stuck and it is still known today as the Owl Nebula. It gets its shape from the expanding cloud of gas blown off by its central star some 8000 years ago. M97 lies at a distance of just over 2000 light years.

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M97 - The Owl Nebula in Ursa Major, Hap Griffin