Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Ursa Major (UMa)  ·  Contains:  M 97  ·  NGC 3587  ·  Owl Nebula  ·  PGC 2479429  ·  PGC 2479466  ·  PGC 2481387  ·  PGC 2482280  ·  PGC 2483306  ·  PGC 2489233  ·  PGC 2490291  ·  PGC 2490640  ·  PGC 2493264  ·  PGC 2494570  ·  PGC 2496406  ·  PGC 34279  ·  PK148+57.1
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M97 Owl Nebula #2, Molly Wakeling
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M97 Owl Nebula #2

Getting plate-solving status, please wait...
M97 Owl Nebula #2, Molly Wakeling
Powered byPixInsight

M97 Owl Nebula #2

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Description

I couldn't believe that I've only done this one once (well, I've done it in a wide-field shot two other times) -- not since 2016!
The Owl Nebula earned its name by the appearance of two eyes in a round head staring back at you. It's a planetary nebula, aka a dying star that is sloughing off its outer layers of gas. This one in particular is located in Ursa Major, and lies about 2,000 lightyears away. Based on its size and estimated distance, the nebula began to form about 8,000 years ago! Our own sun will eventually meet this face, and hopefully make a pretty planetary nebula for someone else

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M97 Owl Nebula #2, Molly Wakeling

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