RA 168.6988° · Dec 55.0190° · openngc
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16 more points to reach Anomaly.
Owl Nebula is an epic nebula. It lies about 2,868.3 light-years from Earth, sits in the constellation UMa and shines at apparent magnitude 9.9.
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 Owl Nebula in the constellation UMa. At apparent magnitude 9.9, a small backyard telescope will bring it into view.
Like any astronomical target, Owl Nebula 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.
Owl Nebula scores 62 points on Spacedle's rarity scale, which places it in the epic tier. Another 16 points would lift it into a rarer tier.
That score comes from 7 science badges — Nebula, Distant (over 1,000 light-years), Messier object, Has a proper name, Planetary nebula (a dying star's shell), Never sets (northern circumpolar) 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.