NGC 6572 · planetary nebula

Emerald Nebula

NGC 6572 is a planetary nebula in the constellation Ophiuchus.

RA18h 12m 06sDec+06° 51' 13"

Image: ESA/Hubble & NASA. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Identity & coordinates

Identification

Primary designation: NGC 6572
All designations: NGC 6572 · Emerald Nebula
Object type: Planetary Nebula
Constellation: Ophiuchus
Best viewing: Summer

Coordinates & physical

Right ascension (J2000): 18h 12m 06s
Declination (J2000): +06° 51' 13"
Apparent magnitude (V): —
Distance: —

III

Visibility tonight

The science

NGC 6572 is a planetary nebula in the constellation Ophiuchus. It was discovered in 1825 by the German astronomer Friedrich Georg Wilhelm von Struve. According to several sources such as Sky & Telescope, this object received the nicknames Blue Racquetball, Emerald Nebula, Green Nebula, and Turquoise Orb. At magnitude 8.1, NGC 6572 is easily bright enough to make it an appealing target for amateur astronomers with telescopes. At low magnification, it will appear to be just a colored star, but higher magnification will reveal its shape.

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