Planetary Nebula
NGC 6720
Lyra
18H 53.6m +33° 02'

Magnitude: 8.8
Size: 1.4' × 1.0'
Distance: 1,140 light-years

Skill Level
M57 is one of the brightest and most famous planetary nebulae. Even short exposures will reveal its ring-like nature.

Recommended Equipment
M57, like nearly all planetary nebulae, requires a good deal of magnification. A long focal-length telescope such as an SCT is ideal for it.

You can also capture M57 with a rich-field Newtonian, although you will sacrifice some detail.

Image Stats
Meade 8" SN LXD75
Meade DSI Pro III
Meade RGB + IR filters

RGB at 66:148:62 minutes respectively. 2-minute subs.

Average transparency
10 July 2009
San Mateo, CA