IC 4406 · planetary nebula

Retina Nebula

IC 4406, sometimes known as the Retina Nebula, is a planetary nebula near the western border of the constellation Lupus, the Wolf.

RA14h 22m 26sDec−44° 09' 00"

Image: NASA and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA); Acknowledgment: C.R. O'Dell (Vanderbilt University). Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Identity & coordinates

Identification

Primary designation: IC 4406
All designations: IC 4406 · Retina Nebula
Object type: Planetary Nebula
Constellation: Lupus
Best viewing: Spring · Summer

Coordinates & physical

Right ascension (J2000): 14h 22m 26s
Declination (J2000): −44° 09' 00"
Apparent magnitude (V): —
Distance: —

III

Visibility tonight

The science

IC 4406, sometimes known as the Retina Nebula, is a planetary nebula near the western border of the constellation Lupus, the Wolf. It has dust clouds and has the shape of a torus. Despite this, it looks somewhat rectangular because it is seen from its side as viewed from Earth, almost in the plane of its equator.

Summary adapted from Wikipedia · CC-BY-SA-4.0