Messier 27
The Dumbbell Nebula. Editing in Photoshop. Equipment: EQ6 mount, 80mm refracter. DSLR Pentax K10D. Starshoot autoguider.
Dim 8 X 5.7 arc min. Mag 7.4. Central Star 13.5 mag (obvious).
Distance 1.250 Light Years. Expanding at 6.8 arc sec a century. Star explosion 3,000 - 4,000 years ago.
Captured summer 2010.