Caldwell 69 — Planetary Nebula in Scorpius
NGC 6302
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.
Observe
1Properties
Position & Identifiers
2How easy to spot?
| Telescope | Bortle 3 | Bortle 4 | Bortle 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80 mm refractor 80mm refr. | Hard | Hard | V. hard+ |
| 150 mm Newton 150mm Newt. | Hard+ | Hard+ | Hard |
| Celestron C8 (203 mm SCT) C8 203mm | Hard+ | Hard+ | Hard+ |
Bortle 3 = rural · 4 = outer suburbs · 5 = suburbs
With O-III filter
| Telescope | Bortle 3 | Bortle 4 | Bortle 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80 mm refractor 80mm refr. | Medium | Hard+ | Hard+ |
| 150 mm Newton 150mm Newt. | Medium | Medium | Medium |
| Celestron C8 (203 mm SCT) C8 203mm | Medium | Medium | Medium |
3Visibility
Set a location in User Settings to see visibility data.
4
Filter Response Guide
5
Eyepiece View
6
Best Magnification
Explore
7
Central Star
8
Surface Brightness
Discover
9
Light Travel Time Machine
10
Relativistic Travel
Community Photos (1)
Credit: NASA, ESA and the Hubble SM4 ERO Team. License: Public domain. (Wikimedia Commons)
Skybred Mar 2, 2026
Nearby in the Sky
Other targets within a few degrees — pan your scope a little and keep exploring.
Visibility scores assume a 150 mm Newton at Bortle 4.
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