C56
NGC 246
Object Data
- Catalog Designation
- C56
- Type
- PlanetaryNebula
- Constellation
- Cetus
- Magnitude
- 10.9
- Right Ascension
- 00h 47m 44.9s
- Declination
- -11° 52' 44.4"
- Distance
- 1,600 light-years
- Angular Size
- 4
Survey Image
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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)
Skybred Mar 2, 2026