RA 273.0259° · Dec 6.8537° · openngc
4 more points to reach Rare.
NGC 6572 is an uncommon nebula. It lies about 693.9 light-years from Earth, sits in the constellation Oph and shines at apparent magnitude 8.1.
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 NGC 6572 in the constellation Oph. At apparent magnitude 8.1, it is an easy target for binoculars.
Like any astronomical target, NGC 6572 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.
NGC 6572 scores 30 points on Spacedle's rarity scale, which places it in the uncommon tier. Another 4 points would lift it into a rarer tier.
That score comes from 3 science badges — Nebula, Planetary nebula (a dying star's shell) and Coming towards us — 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.