Menu

Bug Nebula

NGC 6302

Planetary Nebula Excellent (67/100)
C69 PlanetaryNebula Scorpius Visible Level 3 Medium telescope (6-8") - Benefits from OIII filter
Credit: NASA, ESA and the Hubble SM4 ERO Team. License: Public domain. (Wikimedia Commons)
Star Map Add to List Add to Plan
Back to Catalog

Properties

Magnitude 9.6
Angular Size 0.7′
Distance 5000 ly
Planetary Nebula [Distance: 5000 ly]

Position & Identifiers

RA 17h 25m 14.4s
Dec -37° 06' 14.4"
Constellation Scorpius
Catalog C69

Visibility

Set a location in User Settings to see visibility data.

Survey Image

Loading survey image…

About Bug Nebula

Description

The Bug Nebula (NGC 6302) is a spectacular bipolar planetary nebula in Scorpius, about 3,400 light-years away. It has one of the hottest central stars known (over 200,000 K) and displays dramatic butterfly-shaped lobes of ejected gas spanning about 3 arcminutes.

Observing Tips

Visible as a bright, slightly elongated glow in a 4-inch telescope. Larger scopes reveal the bipolar structure. An OIII filter enhances the view. Located in a rich Milky Way field in Scorpius, best in summer evenings from locations with a good southern horizon.

History

Discovered by James Dunlop on June 12, 1826 from Australia. The central star was long hidden by a dense equatorial dust torus and was only imaged directly by the Hubble Space Telescope in 2009.

Fun Facts

The Bug Nebula's central star, at over 200,000 K, is one of the hottest objects in the galaxy. The lobes contain gas moving at over 600 km/s. The equatorial dust disk that pinches the nebula into its butterfly shape contains crystalline silicates similar to minerals found in Earth's crust.

Community Photos (1)

Credit: NASA, ESA and the Hubble SM4 ERO Team. License: Public domain. (Wikimedia Commons)

Credit: NASA, ESA and the Hubble SM4 ERO Team. License: Public domain. (Wikimedia Commons)

Skybred Mar 2, 2026