Ring Nebula

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

**The Ring Nebula**
Observation data (Epoch J2000.0)
Planetary nebula	Lists of nebulae
M57, The Ring Nebula
Right ascension	18^h 53^m 35.08^s
Declination	+33° 01′ 45.0"
Distance	2300 ly
Apparent magnitude (V)	8.8
Apparent dimensions (V)	1.4 × 1 arcmins
Constellation	Lyra
Physical characteristics
Radius	{{{radius_ly}}}
Absolute magnitude (V)	-0.3
Notable features	-
Other designations	M57

Planetary Nebula M57 (also known as the Ring Nebula, NGC 6720 or Messier Object 57) is located in the constellation Lyra. It is among the most well known and recognizable examples of a planetary nebula. The nebula is located at 0.7 kpc (2300 light-years) from Earth and was discovered by Antoine Darquier de Pellepoix in 1779. The nebula has a visual magnitude of 8.8, and a photographic magnitude of 9.7. It is expanding at a rate of approximately 1 arcsecond per century (corresponding to 20–30 km/s). Its mass is approximately 1.2 solar mass.

M57 is illuminated by a central white dwarf of 14.7 visual magnitude. This star was discovered in 1800 by Count Friedrich von Hahn.

M57 is best seen through at least an 8-inch telescope, but even a 3-inch telescope will show the ring. Larger instruments will show a few darker zones on the eastern and western edges of the ring, and some faint nebulosity inside the disk.

[edit] Trivia

Season 3, Episode 1 (entitled 'Spree') of the CBS television drama NUMB3RS made several references to the M57 Nebula, comparing the complexity of human beings to the complexity of the nebula.