Dumbbell Nebula
M27, NGC 6853 · Planetary nebula in Vulpecula
- Magnitude
- 7.4
- Size
- 8′ × 5.7′
- Effective surface brightness
- 21.1 mag/arcsec²
- Best months
- Jun, Jul, Aug
- Declination
- +23°
- Filter
- Dual-band recommended
The biggest, brightest planetary nebula for northern observers. Bright enough to look good in twenty minutes, and dual-band brings out the outer shell.
Reachable from mid-northern latitudes (UK, northern US, central Europe) and from the south.
How long with each smart telescope
| Telescope | In frame | Bortle 3 (rural) | Bortle 5 (suburban) | Bortle 7 (urban edge) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZWO Seestar S5010 s subs, dual-band | 19% | 16 min94 subs | 17 min105 subs | 25 min151 subs |
| ZWO Seestar S50 Pro10 s subs, dual-band | 10% | 18 min106 subs | 19 min117 subs | 28 min167 subs |
| ZWO Seestar S3010 s subs, dual-band | 11% | 18 min109 subs | 20 min120 subs | 28 min166 subs |
| ZWO Seestar S30 Pro10 s subs, dual-band | 6% | 19 min114 subs | 21 min126 subs | 30 min178 subs |
| DwarfLab DWARF 315 s subs, dual-band | 8% | 20 min80 subs | 22 min90 subs | 34 min138 subs |
| DwarfLab DWARF mini15 s subs, dual-band | 11% | 15 min62 subs | 17 min69 subs | 25 min100 subs |
| DwarfLab Draco30 s subs, dual-band | 11% | 15 min30 subs | 15 min30 subs | 20 min41 subs |
| DwarfLab DWARF II15 s subs | 7% | 50 min201 subs | 1 h 06 min265 subs | 2 h 16 min545 subs |
| Vaonis Vespera II10 s subs | 9% | 13 min76 subs | 18 min111 subs | 44 min262 subs |
| Vaonis Vespera Pro10 s subs | 8% | 30 min178 subs | 42 min251 subs | 1 h 35 min569 subs |
| Vaonis Vespera 310 s subs | 9% | 12 min72 subs | 17 min105 subs | 42 min251 subs |
| Vaonis Vespera Pro 210 s subs | 8% | 28 min169 subs | 40 min239 subs | 1 h 31 min544 subs |
| Unistellar eQuinox 24 s subs | 23% | 15 min218 subs | 18 min272 subs | 34 min508 subs |
| Unistellar Odyssey4 s subs | 24% | 1 h 14 min1,110 subs | 1 h 27 min1,306 subs | 2 h 24 min2,163 subs |
| Celestron Origin10 s subs | 16% | 5 min30 subs | 5 min30 subs | 12 min72 subs |
| Celestron Origin Mark II10 s subs | 18% | 5 min30 subs | 6 min39 subs | 17 min101 subs |
Imaging the planetary nebula
Planetary nebulae are small but intensely bright per pixel in OIII and H-alpha, so they respond very well to a dual-band filter and do not need much time for the main shell. The faint outer halos most of them have are a different proposition and need hours. Keep subs short if the central region saturates.
Per-telescope pages
- How long to image the Dumbbell Nebula with the ZWO Seestar S50
- How long to image the Dumbbell Nebula with the ZWO Seestar S50 Pro
- How long to image the Dumbbell Nebula with the ZWO Seestar S30
- How long to image the Dumbbell Nebula with the ZWO Seestar S30 Pro
- How long to image the Dumbbell Nebula with the DwarfLab DWARF 3
- How long to image the Dumbbell Nebula with the DwarfLab DWARF mini
- How long to image the Dumbbell Nebula with the DwarfLab Draco
- How long to image the Dumbbell Nebula with the DwarfLab DWARF II
- How long to image the Dumbbell Nebula with the Vaonis Vespera II
- How long to image the Dumbbell Nebula with the Vaonis Vespera Pro
- How long to image the Dumbbell Nebula with the Vaonis Vespera 3
- How long to image the Dumbbell Nebula with the Vaonis Vespera Pro 2
- How long to image the Dumbbell Nebula with the Unistellar eQuinox 2
- How long to image the Dumbbell Nebula with the Unistellar Odyssey
- How long to image the Dumbbell Nebula with the Celestron Origin
- How long to image the Dumbbell Nebula with the Celestron Origin Mark II