| Abell 8 / Planetary nebula, type IIb |
| R.A. | 05h 06m 38.4s (2000.0) |
| Dec. | +39°08' 09" (2000.0) |
| Apparent Size | 60.0" |
| Real Size | 1.5 light yrs. |
| Magnitude | 16.6 |
| Distance | 5200 light yrs. |
| Other IDs | PK 167-0.1 |
Abell 8 is a small planetary nebula located within the pentagon of Auriga, about 2 degrees south of η Aurigae.
It appears as a red, circular nebula about 1 arcminute in apparent diameter, and its distance is estimated to be 5200 light-years.
Although it cannot be seen in this photograph, the central star is of 20th magnitude.
This nebula is thought to be the remnant of a star that reached the end of its life within the small open cluster (Bica 6) located just to its northwest.
|