NGC 3132 -- The Southern Ring Nebula


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By
Catalog
Obj Type
Location
Date Taken:
Mazlin
NGC 3132
Nebula
CTIO, Chile
09-11-2009
Description

NGC 3132, aka the Southern Ring Nebula, aka the Eight-burst Nebula, is in Vela, and estimated to be about 2000 lightyears distant.

The white dwarf star that gave birth to this nebula, and is reponsible for its glow, is NOT the star seen quasi-centrally, but is close to it, though too dim to be seen here.

This is a small object, but some of the extended Ha shell is nicely demonstrated -- also note a faint blue glow around some of the peripheral portions of the nebula -- we feel this is a real feature and not artifact. Other recently completed planetary nebula images, including M57 and M97, show a similar outer blue shell.

Technical Details
Exposure Time:
6 hrs Ha, 80 min/channel RGB, all unbinned
Camera:
Apogee Alta U47
Telescope:
RCOS Carbon Truss 16 inch f/11.3 Ritchey-Chretien
Mount:
Software Bisque Paramount ME
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Used with permission, No reproduction of these images are permitted without written approval from Mazlin.