Owl Nebula [SEP] constellation
Owl Nebula
The Owl Nebula (also known as Messier 97, M97 or NGC 3587) is a planetary nebula located approximately 2,030 light years away in the constellation Ursa Major. It was discovered by French astronomer Pierre Méchain on February 16, 1781. When William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse, observed the nebula in 1848, his hand-drawn illustration resembled an owl's head. It has been known as the Owl Nebula ever since.
The nebula is approximately 8,000 years old. It is approximately circular in cross
Sun, and an effective temperature of 123,000 K. The star has been successfully resolved by the Spitzer Space Telescope as a point source that does not show the infrared excess characteristic of a circumstellar disk.
See also.
- Messier object
- List of Messier objects
- New General Catalogue
- List of planetary nebulas
External links.
- The Owl Nebula @ SEDS Messier pages
- The Owl Nebula at Calar Alto Observatory
- NightSkyInfo.com – M97, the Owl Nebula
- The Owl Nebula (