NGC 246
NGC 246, known as the Skull Nebula,[4] is a planetary nebula in the constellation Cetus. The nebula and the stars associated with it are listed in several catalogs, as summarized by the SIMBAD database.[1] It is roughly 1,600 light-years away.[6] The nebula's central star is the 12th magnitude[6] white dwarf HIP 3678.
Among some amateur astronomers, NGC 246 is known as the "Pac-Man Nebula" because of the arrangement of its central stars and the surrounding star field.[5]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "SIMBAD Astronomical Database". Results for NGC 246. Retrieved 2006-12-22.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "SEDS NGC Catalog Online". Results for NGC 246. Retrieved 2010-11-29.
- ↑ "NGC 246". Astronomy: Stars & Planets. Retrieved 2013-01-07.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "The Night Sky", Astronomy Now, Oct 2008.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 David H. Levy, Deep Sky Objects, Prometheus Books, 2005, ISBN 1-59102-361-0, p 129.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Stephen James O'Meara, The Caldwell Objects, Sky Publishing Corporation, ISBN 0-933346-97-2, p 223.
External links
-
NGC 246 acquired using the Schulman 0.8m Telescope atop Mount Lemmon, AZ. This is a full color (visual) image.