Eight Burst Nebula
NGC 3132
Properties
Position & Identifiers
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About Eight Burst Nebula
Description
The Eight-Burst Nebula (NGC 3132) is a bright planetary nebula in Vela, about 2,000 light-years away. Also called the Southern Ring Nebula, it spans about 1 arcminute and displays a complex, multi-layered shell structure. It was one of the first targets of the James Webb Space Telescope.
Observing Tips
A fine southern planetary nebula, visible in a 4-inch telescope as a bright, slightly elongated disk. An 8-inch scope at 150x+ shows the ring structure. The central star is actually the fainter of a close pair. Best in spring from southern locations.
History
Discovered by John Herschel in the 1830s from South Africa. JWST's 2022 images revealed at least two previously unknown concentric shells and confirmed the binary nature of the central star system.
Fun Facts
JWST's first deep image of NGC 3132 revealed that the nebula was sculpted by at least two stars, with the dimmer companion responsible for most of the mass ejection. The brighter central star is actually a companion that did not create the nebula.
Community Photos (1)
Credit: Image: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (a U.S. federal government agency; https://www.nasa.gov/) European space agency (https://www.esa.int/), Canadian Space Agency (https://www.asc-c.... License: Public domain. (Wikimedia Commons)
Skybred Mar 2, 2026