Astronauts
Astronomy
Constellation
Deep Sky Objects
Moon
Stargazing
Telescope
About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Accuracy & Corrections Terms & Condition
COPYRIGHT. All contents of on the site comporting the Starlust branding are Copyright 2019. All rights reserved.
STARLUST.ORG / DEEP SKY OBJECTS

M76 Planetary Nebula

M76 (the Little Dumbbell Nebula) is located in the constellation Perseus at a distance of roughly 3,600 light-years.
UPDATED JUN 26, 2024
m76 the little dumbbell nebula
m76 the little dumbbell nebula

Most planetary nebulae appear as rings or disks, but a few of them have an irregular shape.

The best example of this type of planetary is M76 (the Little Dumbbell Nebula), lying in the constellation Perseus at a distance of roughly 3,600 light-years.

The easiest way to find the nebula is to start from the 3.5 magnitude star 51 Andromedae and make your way about two degrees north-northeast until you come to 4th-magnitude Phi Persei, a variable star. From here aim your telescope less than a degree northwest of the star, and you will have M76 in the eyepiece’s field.

At magnitude 12.2 M76 is the faintest object in the Messier catalog, but you can see it even with a 2.4-inch telescope as an elongated patch that is 64? across and runs northeast-southwest. Larger telescopes and high magnification show some fainter areas of nebulosity at each end of the nebula, forming the classic shape from photos. With an OIII filter still more nebulosity is apparent on both sides, and especially beyond and south of the fainter northeast lobe.

MORE ON Starlust
On July 20, the crescent moon will approach within a degree of the Pleiades star cluster, also known as the Seven Sisters, creating a stunning visual.
1 day ago
The pioneering project is set to transform our understanding of the Sun's mysterious interior.
2 days ago
Some theories suggest that our sun was in a similar state before the planets were all formed.
5 days ago
Discovered on July 1, the celestial body 3I/ATLAS is currently approaching Earth from the direction of the constellation Sagittarius.
5 days ago
Historically revered as Zeus's powerful eagle, bearing lightning and messages, this celestial constellation reaches its highest point in the sky during July and August.
6 days ago
With its unparalleled infrared capabilities, Webb now accomplishes what was once impossible, transforming our view of the cosmos from distant galaxies to our solar system.
6 days ago
An autonomous docking for the Progress 92 is anticipated around 5:27 p.m. EDT on Saturday, July 5.
Jul 4, 2025
This lift-off, from Kennedy Space Center's historic Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A), marked yet another crucial orbital mission for SpaceX.
Jul 2, 2025
The advanced LOFAR radio telescope enabled scientists to detect a massive cloud of high-energy particles around a galaxy cluster whose light traveled 10 billion years to Earth.
Jul 1, 2025
The new image specifically highlights the eastern reaches of Arcadia Planitia, a crucial area northwest of the massive Tharsis volcanic province.
Jun 30, 2025
The spiral galaxy UGC 11397, in the constellation Lyra, is home to a supermassive black hole aggressively consuming material at its core.
Jun 30, 2025
The New Shepard program's 33rd overall flight, a suborbital journey lasting approximately 10 minutes, lifted off from Launch Site One in West Texas at 9:39 a.m. CDT.
Jun 30, 2025
The dwarf galaxy NGC 4449, just 12.5 million light-years away in the constellation Canes Venatici, is a standout 'starburst galaxy.'
Jun 29, 2025
The new image combines data from across the electromagnetic spectrum, giving astronomers a complete picture of Andromeda's complex structure.
Jun 27, 2025
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope recently captured an image of the spiral galaxy IC 758, located 60 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major.
Jun 22, 2025
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, launching in 2027, will use gravitational lensing, a phenomenon Einstein predicted over a century ago, to study the mystery of dark matter.
Jun 22, 2025
Essential for galactic evolution, mergers impact the layout of gas, the motion of stars, and a galaxy's overall structure, ultimately leading to greater stellar mass.
Jun 21, 2025
Scientists are shedding new light on Cosmic Noon, a crucial era 10 to 12 billion years in the past when stars formed at rates 10 to 100 times greater than what we see now.
Jun 21, 2025
Climate change has amplified wildfires across Canada and the western US.
Jun 21, 2025
By the night of June 19, Mars officially entered the Spring Triangle, and it'll continue to skim its lower edge until mid-September.
Jun 19, 2025