The Dumbbell Nebula - Messier 27
Taken by Tom Wildoner on June 4, 2026 @
Weatherly, PA, USA
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Camera Used: Unavailable Unavailable
Exposure Time: Unavailable
Aperture: Unavailable
ISO: Unavailable
Date Taken: 2026:09:02 15:16:29
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Details:
The Dumbbell Nebula, also known as Messier 27, M27 or NGC6853, is a prominent planetary nebula located approximately 1,300 to 1,400 light-years away in the constellation Vulpecula. Discovered by Charles Messier in 1764, it was the very first planetary nebula ever identified, formed when an aging star shed its outer layers into space and left behind a hot white dwarf at its core. Its distinctive hourglass or dual-lobe shape—which gives it the "Dumbbell" moniker—is viewed edge-on from Earth, glowing brightly from the ionization of surrounding gases by the ultraviolet radiation emitted by the central dying star.
🔭 Technical Details:
Telescope: Meade 12” LX-90 SCT with Antares Focal Reducer
Camera: ZWO ASI071MC (cooled to 0C) BIN2
Mount: Celestron CGX-L pier mounted
Capture: 157 x 60 seconds
Location: The Dark Side Observatory (W59), Weatherly, PA (Bortle 4)
Processing: DeepSkyStacker + PixInsight
Image Date: June 4, 2026.
Photographer's website:
https://www.thedarksideobservatory.com
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