About Owl Nebula (M97)

Owl Nebula is frequently observed by amateur astronomers and appears as a soft glow. It is quite faint.

Current visibility

Right now it is at about 34° altitude and reaches 35° around 11:03 PM.

It stays above 30° for roughly 4 hours.

Nebulae benefit from filters, contrast improves away from light pollution.

Observing tips

It requires patience and good conditions.

What to expect

It appears more compact than typical clusters.

Type

Planetary Nebula

Constellation

Ursa Major

Distance

2600 ly

Size

3.4' x 3.3'

Season

Spring

Difficulty

Very Hard

Magnitude

9.9