Owl Nebula NGC3587 (M97)



Object Data
Description The Owl Nebula is an interesting planetary in that the spherical main nebula contains a darker bipolar region, nearly, but not completely aligned with the central white dwarf. The overall appearance bears a striking resemblance to the face of a common barn owl. It is sometimes difficult to see both "eyes" with a small telescope.
Constellation Ursa Major the Big Bear
Right Ascension 11h 14m 59s
Declination +55° 0' 4"
Magnitude 12
Angular size 3.2 arcminutes
Distance 500 parsecs (1,600 light years)
Radial Velocity 6 kilometers per second
Image Data
Photographer Fred Lehman
Main Scope Meade 14" LX200GPS @ f/5.0 (1775mm)
Guide Scope Celestron 5" SCT @ f/7.5 (950mm)
Guide Camera SBIG STV
Imaging Camera Starlight Xpress MX7C
Resolution 780 x 580 @ 1.0 arcseconds per pixel
Exposure Ten exposures of four minutes each. Aligned, stacked, and processed with AstroArt.
Date March 19, 2004
Location Mid Florida Star Gaze at Kye's Star Farm in Venus, Florida.


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