The Owl Nebula, also known as
Messier 97 (M97), is a planetary nebula located in
Ursa Major. The nebula lies at an approximate distance of 2,030 light years from Earth. It is known for its distinctive shape, resembling a pair of owl-like eyes, that can be seen in larger telescopes. The estimated age of the Owl Nebula is about 8,000 years. The nebula has the designation NGC 3587 in the New General Catalogue.
The Owl Nebula was formed when a central star expelled its outer gaseous layers about 8,000 years ago. As the outer layers were gradually blown off over thousands of years, what was left of the original star contracted to form a hot white dwarf.
Messier 108 (M108), nicknamed the Surfboard Galaxy, is a barred spiral galaxy located in the constellation
Ursa Major. The galaxy lies at an approximate distance of 45.9 million light years from Earth and has an apparent magnitude of 10.7. It has the designation NGC 3556 in the New General Catalogue.Messier 108 has the morphological classification SBbc, which means that it is a barred spiral galaxy with somewhat loosely wound spiral arms. The galaxy does not have a pronounced core or bulge, but appears very mottled and dusty, with few H II regions and clusters of young stars. The dust structures are prominent in the galaxy’s disk and very thick in front of its bulge. The central region of M108 is bright and irregular, with a large central bar.The estimated mass of M108 is about 125 billion solar masses. The galaxy contains about 400 billion stars and an estimated population of 290 globular clusters. M108 is receding from us at 699 km/s.
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