NGC246
About this celestial object
Low over the southern horizon, NGC 246 reveals its porous, ghostly shell.
As a planetary nebula, NGC 246 is also known as the Skull Nebula; it lies in Cetus and shows a perforated, inhomogeneous shell around the central star.
The low altitude and 73% humidity mute the contrast, yet the 250 mm F/5 quadruplet reliably gathers the faint rim glow.
41 exposures totaling 410 s smooth the background and keep the stars clean despite the proximity to the horizon.
Image and observation
Catalogue: NGC246
Capture date: 2024-10-19
Imaging and processing: Ulrich Schwarz · Vespera Pro