Object Analysis

The Owl Nebula (Messier 97) is a planetary nebula located approximately 2,030 light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1781. It is one of the more complex planetary nebulae known.

The name "Owl" comes from its appearance in larger telescopes, where two dark patches in the nebulosity look like the large eyes of an owl. These "eyes" are actually regions where the shell of expanding gas is thinner, allowing us to see through to the darker space behind.

The central star is a faint magnitude 16 white dwarf roughly 0.7 times the mass of the Sun. The nebula formed about 8,000 years ago when the dying star expelled its outer layers. The three concentric shells of gas suggest multiple episodes of mass loss.