About Ring Nebula (M57)

Ring Nebula is frequently observed by amateur astronomers and shows up as a faint patch of light. It has moderate brightness.

Current visibility

It is currently below the horizon.

It stays above 30° for roughly 7 hours.

Nebulae benefit from filters, fine detail requires darker skies.

Observing tips

It requires patience and good conditions.

What to expect

At higher magnification, subtle detail can be detected.

It appears more compact than typical clusters.

Type

Planetary Nebula

Constellation

Lyra

Distance

4100 ly

Size

1.4' x 1.0'

Season

Summer

Difficulty

Easy

Magnitude

8.8