Observer's guide
About Ring Nebula
Ring Nebula (M57) is catalogued as a planetary nebula in Lyra. Its J2000 position is RA 18:53:35.01, Dec +33:01:42.9, corresponding to 283.3962 degrees RA and 33.0291 degrees Dec. The local catalogue places it about 4,100 light-years away. Its referenced angular extent is approximately 1.15 by 1.15 arcminutes.
Observing tips
StarWatchr rates this as an easy target at magnitude 8.8. It is associated with summer observing, with midnight placement typically strongest around June. From 52 degrees north its theoretical meridian altitude is about 71 degrees; local horizons and the live altitude chart determine the practical window.
A small telescope under reasonably dark skies is a good starting point; use the live altitude chart to choose its highest point.
What to expect
The SIMBAD classification for the matched source is PN. A published radial velocity value is -19.1 km/s. The SIMBAD record currently connects it to 872 bibliographic references.
At roughly 1.1 arcminutes across, it benefits from a narrower field and adequate image scale. Use the listed 1.15 by 1.15 arcminute extent to check framing, and treat catalogue magnitude as integrated brightness rather than a direct measure of visual contrast.