NGC 246
| NGC 246 | |
|---|---|
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| Observation data (Epoch J2000) | |
| Right ascension | 00h 47m 03.338s[1] |
| Declination | −11° 52′ 18.94″[1] |
| Distance | 1,600 light-years |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 8[2] / 11.8 (central star)[1] |
| Apparent dimensions (V) | 3.8′[2] |
| Constellation | Cetus |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Radius | 2-3 light-years[3] |
| Other designations | Skull Nebula,[4] Pac-Man Nebula,[5] Caldwell 56 |
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 2 3 4 "SIMBAD Astronomical Database". Results for NGC 246. Retrieved 2006-12-22.
- 1 2 "SEDS NGC Catalog Online". Results for NGC 246. Retrieved 2010-11-29.
- ↑ "NGC 246". Astronomy: Stars & Planets. Retrieved 2013-01-07.
- 1 2 "The Night Sky", Astronomy Now, Oct 2008.
- 1 2 David H. Levy, Deep Sky Objects, Prometheus Books, 2005, ISBN 1-59102-361-0, p 129.
- 1 2 Stephen James O'Meara, The Caldwell Objects, Sky Publishing Corporation, ISBN 0-933346-97-2, p 223.
External links
- NGC 246 on WikiSky: DSS2, SDSS, GALEX, IRAS, Hydrogen α, X-Ray, Astrophoto, Sky Map, Articles and images
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NGC 246 acquired using the Schulman 0.8m Telescope atop Mount Lemmon, AZ. This is a full color (visual) image.
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