RA 81.8675° · Dec -12.6973° · openngc
12 more points to reach Epic.
IC 418 is a rare nebula. It lies about 5,054.3 light-years from Earth, sits in the constellation Lep and shines at apparent magnitude 9.44.
A planetary nebula: the shed outer atmosphere of a dying Sun-like star, lit from within by the naked stellar core left behind.
Look for IC 418 in the constellation Lep. At apparent magnitude 9.44, a small backyard telescope will bring it into view.
Like any astronomical target, IC 418 is best seen from a dark site away from city lights, and when it is above the horizon depends on your latitude and the time of year. The visibility panel above works out tonight's viewing window for your saved location.
IC 418 scores 38 points on Spacedle's rarity scale, which places it in the rare tier. Another 12 points would lift it into a rarer tier.
That score comes from 4 science badges — Nebula, Distant (over 1,000 light-years), Planetary nebula (a dying star's shell) and Its dying star is still visible — each earned for a real, measurable property of the object. Rarity on Spacedle is never random: the more remarkable an object's astrophysics, the more badges it collects, the higher it scores, and the rarer it ranks.