- O95 minutes (19 frames)
- H140 minutes (26 frames)
- S95 minutes (19 frames)
The Little Dumbbell Nebula, also known as M 76, NGC 650/651, Dumbbell Nebula or Cork Nebula, is located in the constellation Perseus, approximately 2,500 light-years from Earth. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1780 and listed in Charles Messier's catalogue as 76. In 1918, astronomer Heber Dowsty Curtis first recognized it as a planetary nebula. However, earlier astronomers such as William Huggins and Isaac Roberts had already noted its nebulous structure.
Formation and Structure
M 76 is a bipolar planetary nebula consisting of a central ring, which we see as a rectangle, and two "wings" that are located at each end of the ring. The nebula formed when a star similar to the Sun ran out of fuel and began to shed its outer layers. The ejected material, heated by the remaining white dwarf at the center, creates the glowing cloud we see as the nebula. The two "wings" were created after the star shed its outer layers, leaving behind a white dwarf at the center.
The shape of the nebula may be related to a possible interaction between the star and a binary companion, which could have led to the formation of the ring as a result of its orbital interaction. The companion star was likely later absorbed by the central star, leaving traces of this process.
Characteristics
- Distance: about 2500 light years
| Photo | Date | Frames | Exposure | H | O | S | N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 11 Mar 2021 | 64 | 05:30 | 02:20 | 01:35 | 01:35 | |
 | 16 Jul 2017 | 30 | 00:15 | 00:15 |
Visibility chart of The Little Dumbbell Nebula (M 76) 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•