Virtual Tour of The “Dumbbell” Nebula

Posted by Brian Ventrudo

Take a virtual peek through a telescope at the famous Dumbbell Nebula, M27, a large and lovely planetary nebula in the constellation Vulpecula just east of the star Albireo at the tip of Cygnus.  Also called the “apple core” nebula, this is one of the largest and brightest of all planetary nebula.  It’s easily visible in binoculars, and even the smallest telescope shows its distinctive shape.

(Click on the image above to start the virtual tour…)

Look for this nebula just off the tip of the tiny constellation Sagitta, the Arrow (see map below).  And click here to learn more about planetary nebulae, a brief state that all small-to-mid-sized stars will experience, including our Sun.

Location of the star cluster M71 and the planetary nebula M27, the "Dumbbell" Nebula. Click to enlarge.