Abell 39
This nebula has the rare property of being extremely round and limb-brightened, exactly as the perfect, simple, theoretical planetary nebula ought to. A high resolution version of this nebula was taken at the WIYN 3.5-m telescope.
Shape: spherical shell, like a bubble
Distance: approx. 7,000 light years
Location: Hercules constellation
RA: 00 28 20.00 DEC: -11 23 24.0
Size: 6 light years across
Abundances/Description: It contains about half the amount of oxygen as the Sun. The central star is slightly off center but the cause of this shift is unknown. Note that you can see small distant galaxies through the image of the nebula.
Discoverer: George Abell - (1966)
Other Links:
Viewing with an amateur Telescope