Dumbbell Nebula
First discovered planetary nebula, visible in binoculars.
Charles Messier stumbled upon the Dumbbell Nebula in 1764, making it the first planetary nebula ever found. Also cataloged as the Apple Core Nebula, Messier 27, and NGC 6853, this cloud of gas and dust surrounds a white dwarf star. It sits about 1,360 light-years away in the constellation Vulpecula. With a visual magnitude of 7.5 and a span of roughly 8 arcminutes, it shows up clearly in binoculars and is a favorite target for amateur astronomers.
From our vantage point, the nebula looks like a stretched sphere, seen edge-on along its equator. In 1992, Moreno-Corral and colleagues calculated that its angular expansion rate is no more than 2.3 arcseconds per century, which sets an upper age limit of 14,600 years. A separate 1970 study by Bohuski, Smith, and Weedman measured its expansion velocity at 31 km/s. Given its semi-minor axis radius of 1.01 light-years, this gives a kinematic age of about 9,800 years.
Like many nearby planetary nebulae, the Dumbbell is dotted with knots. Its central area features a mix of dark and bright cusped knots, some with trailing dark tails and others irregular and tailless. Similar to the Helix and Eskimo Nebulae, the heads of these knots show bright cusps where photoionization fronts form.
The central star, a white dwarf progenitor, has a radius of 0.055 ± 0.02 solar radii (about 0.13 light-seconds), making it larger than most known white dwarfs. In 1999, Napiwotzki estimated its mass at 0.56 ± 0.01 solar masses.
The Dumbbell Nebula lies in the faint constellation Vulpecula, within the Summer Triangle. It sits a few degrees north of Gamma Sagittae, near the star 14 Vulpeculae, and is bright enough to spot with binoculars.
Quick Facts
- Epoch
- J2000
- Ra
- 19 · 59 · 36.319
- Dec
- +22 · 43 · 16.312
- Dist Pc
- 389 · +15 · -6
- Appmag V
- 7.4
- Constellation
- Vulpecula
- Radius Ly
- 1.44 · +0.21 · -0.16A · a · none
- Absmag V
- -0.6 · +0.4 · -0.3D · d · none
- Notes
- Central star radius is among the largest known for a white dwarf.
- Names
- NGC 6853, M 27, / Diabolo Nebula, / Dumb-Bell Nebula
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Dumbbell Nebula appears shaped like a prolate spheroid and is viewed from our perspective along the plane of its equator. In 1992, Moreno-Corral et al. computed that its rate of expansion angularly was, viewed from our distance, no more than 2.3 arcseconds per century. From this, an upper limit to the age of 14,600 years may be determined. In 1970, Bohuski, Smith, and Weedman found an expansion velocity of 31 km/s. Given its semi-minor axis radius of 1.01 ly, this implies that the kinematic age of the nebula is 9,800 years.
Like many nearby planetary nebulae, the Dumbbell contains knots. Its central region is marked by a pattern of dark and bright cusped knots and their associated dark tails. The knots vary in appearance from symmetric objects with tails to rather irregular tail-less objects. Similarly to the Helix Nebula and the Eskimo Nebula, the heads of the knots have bright cusps which are local photoionization fronts.
The central star, a white dwarf progenitor, is estimated to have a radius which is 0.055±0.02 R☉ (0.13 light seconds) which gives it a size larger than most other known white dwarfs. Its mass was estimated in 1999 by Napiwotzki to be 0.56±0.01 M☉.
Reader's Guide
The Dumbbell Nebula holds significance as the first planetary nebula ever discovered, identified by Charles Messier in 1764. Its brightness and size make it a popular target for amateur astronomers, easily visible in binoculars. The nebula's expansion has been studied, yielding two different age estimates: an upper limit of 14,600 years from angular expansion and a kinematic age of 9,800 years from radial velocity. Its central white dwarf is notably larger than most known white dwarfs, with a radius of 0.055±0.02 solar radii. The nebula's structure includes knots with bright cusps and dark tails, similar to those in the Helix and Eskimo Nebulae. Located in the faint constellation Vulpecula, a few degrees north of γ Sagittae and near the star 14 Vulpeculae, it remains a key object for understanding planetary nebula evolution.
Did You Know?
- The Dumbbell Nebula was the first planetary nebula ever discovered, by Charles Messier in 1764.
- Its central white dwarf has a radius of 0.055±0.02 solar radii, larger than most other known white dwarfs.
- Two different age estimates exist: an upper limit of 14,600 years and a kinematic age of 9,800 years.
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