Nebula
Bug Nebula
Planetary nebula · C69 · NGC 6302
Planetary nebula in Scorpius
Photo: NASA, ESA and the Hubble SM4 ERO Team · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
NGC 6302 is a bipolar type planetary nebula in the constellation Scorpius. The structure in this planetary nebula is among the most complex ever seen in any planetary nebulae. The spectrum of Butterfly Nebula shows that its central star is one of the hottest stars known, with a surface temperature in excess of 250,000 degrees Celsius. This implies that the star from which it formed must have been very large in order to become this hot.
Description from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
In your sky
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Key facts
Distance
~5,200 light-years
Apparent mag.
+13
Apparent size
0.7′
Best seen with
Telescope
Catalogue
C69 · NGC 6302
Did you know
- Listed as Caldwell 69 in the Caldwell catalogue, also known as NGC 6302.
- Found in the constellation Scorpius.
- Needs a telescope to see clearly.
