A planetary nebula with two thin extensions on either side, which made it look like Saturn in early telescope views.
Measured
- Distance
- about 4,015 light-years (published estimates 3,754–4,315)
- Size
- about 0.82 light-years across (approximate)
- Constellation
- Aquarius
- Position (J2000)
- RA 21h 04m 11s, Dec −11.36°
How far, from the Sun
About 4,010 light-years. To cross it:
- Light4,020 years
- Voyager 1's speed71.3 million years
- Driving at 100 km/h43.3 billion years
Voyager 1 at the speed it moved outward over the year to 2026-10-25 (JPL Horizons). Driving: nonstop, never refuelling.
Facts
- At magnitude 8 it looks like a star in a small telescope; larger ones show the two lobes either side that recall Saturn's rings.
How it was found
- William Herschel discovered it in 1782.
Where this comes from
- Gaia DR3 parallax 0.8123 ± 0.0565 mas of the central star, Gaia DR3 6889338034837425920 (Gaia Collaboration 2023, A&A 674, A1)
- This research has made use of the SIMBAD database, CDS, Strasbourg, France (Wenger et al. 2000, A&AS 143, 9).
- This research has made use of the VizieR catalogue access tool, CDS, Strasbourg, France (DOI: 10.26093/cds/vizier).
Every catalogue Ouranos draws is credited on the credits page.