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

Owl Nebula

M97, the Owl Nebula lies relatively nearby at 2,300 light-years from our Sun, so it appears 3.2 arcminutes in diameter – only ten times smaller than the Full Moon.
UPDATED JUN 26, 2024
Owl Nebula
Owl Nebula

Ever since Sir William Herschel – the British astronomer who became famous for discovering the planet Uranus – began calling some disklike, fuzzy patches of light “planetary nebulae”, these objects dotting the night sky have been favorite targets of both professional and amateur astronomers.

Tracking planetary nebulae in your backyard scope takes you on a tour of some of the prettiest forms you can see among deep-sky objects. Blue-green starlike blobs, shells, rings, disks with Saturn-like extensions, and all sorts of eerily glowing shapes await your hunting them down. You can even find something that resembles an owl, the spooky nocturnal bird of prey.

M97, the Owl Nebula in Ursa Major, is an interesting object for backyard viewing. It lies relatively nearby at 2,300 light-years from our Sun, so it appears 3.2 arcminutes in diameter – only ten times smaller than the Full Moon. The nebula’s unusual name goes back to Lord Rosse, who found in 1848 a striking resemblance to the face of an owl, with two dark circular perforations and “a star in each cavity” giving the impression of two gleaming eyes. This description may sound a little over-imaginative, but if you take a look at his drawing you will see that it’s accurate.

Wait until at least midnight to look for this planetary. By then the Big Dipper will have risen high enough so you can see this gem. Trace a line from Beta Ursae Majoris to Gamma, the two stars that make up the bottom of the Dipper’s bowl. The nebula lies a fourth of the way along this line and a degree south. While you can see it even with large binoculars, the Owl Nebula remains indistinct even in 6-inch telescopes due to its low surface brightness.

To see the two dark patches that make up the distinctive eyes of the owl, you need at least an 8-inch scope and moderately high power. If the night is very dark and clear you might even spot the central star that appears between the eyes and faint traces of color inside the nebula.

MORE ON STAR LUST
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.
2 days ago
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.
2 days ago
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.
3 days ago
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.
3 days ago
Climate change has amplified wildfires across Canada and the western US.
4 days ago
By the night of June 19, Mars officially entered the Spring Triangle, and it'll continue to skim its lower edge until mid-September.
5 days ago
Looking ahead, this costly dilemma is expected to intensify dramatically, with the number of satellites in orbit predicted to surge to tens of thousands in just a few years.
Jun 15, 2025
This ambitious project, spearheaded by ADA Space and Zhejiang Lab, plans to deploy a vast network of 2,800 satellites.
Jun 15, 2025
Satellite operators that function under the American government are signing massive international deals to support foreign space markets.
Jun 15, 2025
These data are crucial for scientists to understand the Sun's cyclical activity, specifically how it shifts between intense and quieter phases.
Jun 14, 2025
The astronauts who witnessed the unique sight from space said that they perceived it to be some kind of colorful cloud cluster.
Jun 14, 2025
Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp stated that a primary mission objective is to successfully land and recover the booster.
Jun 14, 2025
The delay is due to the detection of a 'new pressure signature' in the Zvezda service module, a part of the station.
Jun 13, 2025
A year ago, Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft docked with the ISS, and a year later, its next flight is still delayed, as per NASA.
Jun 13, 2025
Dark locations and temperate environments will allow people on Earth to witness the Milky Way in its best element this month.
Jun 12, 2025
SpaceX announced on June 10 (EDT) that the delay is due to a liquid oxygen (LOx) leak found during booster inspections after a static fire test.
Jun 12, 2025
The largest map of the universe was created as part of a scientific collaboration that cataloged an array of galaxies in the cosmos.
Jun 11, 2025
Astronauts use a small, tethered doll as a zero-gravity indicator; when it floats freely, it signals the crew has safely reached low Earth orbit.
Jun 11, 2025
The Ax-4 mission is Axiom Space's fourth crewed trip to the ISS and will use a brand-new SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule on its very first flight.
Jun 10, 2025
The Kuiper 2 mission will launch 27 Amazon internet satellites on a ULA Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Friday, June 13, at 2:29 p.m. EDT.
Jun 10, 2025