Caldwell 90 — Planetary Nebula in Carina
NGC 2867
About C90
Description
NGC 2867 is a small, bright planetary nebula in Carina, about 7,300 light-years away. Its disk spans about 12 arcseconds and shines at magnitude 9.7, with a hot central star of the Wolf-Rayet type.
Observing Tips
Appears stellar at low power. At 200x+ in a 6-inch telescope, it shows a tiny blue-green disk that can be distinguished from surrounding stars. An OIII filter helps confirm its nature. Best from southern locations in late winter and spring.
History
Discovered by John Herschel in the 1830s during his survey of the southern sky from South Africa. Its Wolf-Rayet central star makes it one of the more energetic planetary nebulae.
Fun Facts
The central star of NGC 2867 is a carbon-rich Wolf-Rayet star ([WC5] type) with a temperature of about 141,000 K, making it one of the hottest known planetary nebula central stars.
Observe
1Properties
Position & Identifiers
2How easy to spot?
| Telescope | Bortle 3 | Bortle 4 | Bortle 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80 mm refractor 80mm refr. | V. hard+ | V. hard | V. hard |
| 150 mm Newton 150mm Newt. | Hard | Hard | V. 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. | Hard+ | Hard | Hard |
| 150 mm Newton 150mm Newt. | Hard+ | Hard+ | Hard+ |
| Celestron C8 (203 mm SCT) C8 203mm | Medium | Hard+ | Hard+ |
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: Judy Schmidt. License: CC BY 2.0. (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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