Blue Snowball
NGC 7662
Object Data
- Catalog Designation
- C22
- Type
- PlanetaryNebula
- Constellation
- Andromeda
- Magnitude
- 8.3
- Right Ascension
- 23h 25m 09.6s
- Declination
- +42° 32' 20.4"
- Distance
- 5,600 light-years
- Angular Size
- 0.5
Survey Image
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About Blue Snowball
Description
The Blue Snowball (NGC 7662) is a planetary nebula in Andromeda, about 5,600 light-years away. It has a distinctive blue-green color and a complex multi-shell structure visible in photographs, with a bright inner ring spanning about 12 arcseconds.
Observing Tips
Easy to find and satisfying in small telescopes. A 4-inch scope shows a bright blue-green disk at 100x. Higher power (200x+) may reveal the annular structure. An OIII filter enhances the view. Best in autumn evenings.
History
Discovered by William Herschel on October 6, 1784. It earned its name from its vivid blue color, unusual among planetary nebulae which more commonly appear green from OIII emission.
Fun Facts
The Blue Snowball has multiple concentric shells from successive mass-loss episodes. Its central star has a temperature of about 75,000 K and a luminosity 2,000 times that of the Sun.
Community Photos (1)
Credit: Judy Schmidt. License: CC BY 2.0. (Wikimedia Commons)
Skybred Mar 2, 2026