Little Ghost Nebula
| Nebula | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Observation data: J2000 epoch | |
| Right ascension | 17h 29m 20.443s[1] |
| Declination | −23° 45′ 34.22″[1] |
| Distance | 2,000 - 5,000 ly |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 12.9[1] |
| Apparent dimensions (V) | 28 arc sec[1] |
| Constellation | Ophiuchus |
| Designations | NGC 6369,[1] PK 002+05 1[1] |
Little Ghost Nebula is a planetary nebula in the constellation Ophiuchus. It was discovered by William Herschel.[2]
Round and planet-shaped, the nebula is also relatively faint. Planetary nebulae are not related to planets at all, but instead are created at the end of a sun-like star's life as its outer layers expand into space while the star's core shrinks to become a white dwarf. The transformed white dwarf star, seen near the center, radiates strongly at ultraviolet wavelengths and powers the expanding nebula's glow. The nebula's main ring structure is about a light-year across and the glow from ionized oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen atoms are colored blue, green, and red respectively.
The Little Ghost Nebula should not be confused with the Ghost Nebula (Sh2-136) or the Ghost Head Nebula (NGC 2080).
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "SIMBAD Astronomical Database". Results for NGC 6369. Retrieved 2007-04-17.
- ↑ Nemiroff, R.; Bonnell, J., eds. (8 November 2002). "NGC 6369: The Little Ghost Nebula". Astronomy Picture of the Day. NASA. Retrieved 2010-07-02.
Coordinates: 
17h 29m 20.44s, −23° 45′ 34.22″
External links
- Little Ghost Nebula data sheet, altitude charts, sky map and related objects - Deep Sky Objects Browser
- Little Ghost Nebula amateur astrophotography - Deep Sky Objects Browser