- H5 minutes (1 frame)
Abell 74 is a faint planetary nebula in the constellation Cassiopeia, located about 7,000 light-years from Earth. It was discovered in 1955 by astronomer George Abell during his studies of galaxy clusters.
Key Features
- Object Type: Planetary Nebula.
- Distance: About 7,000 light-years.
- Location: Constellation Cassiopeia.
- Formation: Formed by the death of a star with a mass less than the Sun.
Origin and Structure
Abell 74 formed in the final stages of the evolution of an intermediate-mass star, when the outer layers are ejected into space and the core becomes a white dwarf.
The gaseous shell of the nebula glows due to the ultraviolet radiation from the white dwarf exciting the gas atoms. This radiation causes the characteristic glow in the visible and ultraviolet ranges, typical of planetary nebulae.
- Central Star: A white dwarf, the remnant of a dead star.
- Structure: The nebula has a symmetrical shape with a central bright blue disk surrounded by fainter red and green rings.
Observations
Despite its dim brightness, Abell 74 is visible with amateur telescopes. Its symmetrical structure makes it a popular target for amateur astronomers and astrophotographers.
- Colors: A bright blue central disk surrounded by ring-shaped regions of red and green hues.
- Interest for science: studying such nebulae helps to understand the processes of stellar evolution, especially the stages of formation of white dwarfs and the interaction of their radiation with ejected shells.
Interesting fact
Planetary nebulae like Abell 74 were mistakenly named because of their external resemblance to the disks of planets in telescopes, but have nothing to do with planets. They represent only a short-term stage in the life of dying stars, lasting several tens of thousands of years.
Visibility chart of Planetary Nebula (Abell 74) during the day
| Date | Moon Phase | Exposure | CCD Temperature | Gain | Offset | Filter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- 2023ixf•
- 40 Eri•
- Abell 74•
- Artemis A868 SA•
- a Canis Minoris•
- C 2020 R4 ATLAS•
- C 2020 T2 Palomar•
- C 2021 S3 (PANSTARRS)•
- Haumea (2003 EL61)•
- HCG 68•
- HCG 92•
- IC 1318B•
- IC 1396•
- IC 1795•
- IC 1805•
- IC 1848•
- IC 1871•
- IC 3322A•
- IC 342•
- IC 4015•
- IC 405•
- IC 417•
- IC 434•
- IC 443•
- IC 4703•
- IC 5070•
- IC 5146•
- IC 63•
- M 1•
- M 101•
- M 103•
- M 109•
- M 13•
- M 15•
- M 27•
- M 3•
- M 33•
- M 42•
- M 45•
- M 5•
- M 51•
- M 57•
- M 63•
- M 64•
- M 74•
- M 76•
- M 81•
- M 82•
- M 86•
- M 87•
- M 94•
- M 97•
- NGC 147•
- NGC 1491•
- NGC 1499•
- NGC 1579•
- NGC 1961•
- NGC 2146•
- NGC 2239•
- NGC 2403•
- NGC 281•
- NGC 4236•
- NGC 4565•
- NGC 4631•
- NGC 507•
- NGC 508•
- NGC 5866•
- NGC 5907•
- NGC 6503•
- NGC 6823•
- NGC 6888•
- NGC 6946•
- NGC 6992•
- NGC 6995•
- NGC 7000•
- NGC 7023•
- NGC 7129•
- NGC 7217•
- NGC 7331•
- NGC 7380•
- NGC 7538•
- NGC 7635•
- NGC 7640•
- NGC 7822•
- NGC 891•
- NGC 896•
- NGC 925•
- PGC 54559•
- Sh2-155•
- Sh2-168•
- Sh2 103•
- Sh2 109•
- Sh2 132•
- T CrB•
- UGC 6930•
- V1405 Cas•
- Vesta A807 FA•