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C56

NGC 246

Planetary Nebula Excellent (69/100)
C56 PlanetaryNebula Cetus Visible Level 4 Large telescope (10"+) - Benefits from OIII filter
Credit: Unknown. License: Public domain. (Wikimedia Commons)
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Properties

Magnitude 10.9
Angular Size 4.1′
Distance 1600 ly
Planetary Nebula [Distance: 1600 ly]

Position & Identifiers

RA 00h 47m 44.9s
Dec -11° 52' 44.4"
Constellation Cetus
Catalog C56

Visibility

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About C56

Description

NGC 246 is a planetary nebula in Cetus, about 1,600 light-years away. Known as the Skull Nebula, it has a large, ghostly shell about 4 arcminutes across with a distinctly mottled, uneven surface that gives it a skull-like appearance.

Observing Tips

A large but faint planetary nebula. An 8-inch telescope with an OIII filter shows the round, uneven glow. The 12th-magnitude central star is a hot white dwarf in a binary system. Best in autumn evenings.

History

Discovered by William Herschel on November 27, 1785. The central star is actually a close binary system, which may influence the nebula's complex internal structure.

Fun Facts

NGC 246 is one of the nearest planetary nebulae to Earth and one of the largest in angular size. Its central star is one of the hottest white dwarfs known, at about 150,000 K.

Community Photos (1)

Credit: Unknown. License: Public domain. (Wikimedia Commons)

Credit: Unknown. License: Public domain. (Wikimedia Commons)

Skybred Mar 2, 2026