Planetary Nebulae are perhaps the most interesting and beautiful objects in the heavens. A genre full of wonderful variation, they exhibit complex shapes, and may even show vibrant colours. The last hurrah of a sun-like star, their study is essential to the understanding of stellar evolution.
One hundred ten planetary nebulae were chosen for this program. Among them are some of the most famous showpieces in the northern sky, but the list contains examples across the entire range of planetary nebula morphology. Some are tiny star-like points that will challenge you to pick them out of their crowded star fields. Others will appear as ghostly apparitions that will severely test your powers of observation. In addition, we have included four examples of "proto-planetary nebulae" as additional challenges.
One hundred ten planetary nebulae were chosen for this program. Among them are some of the most famous showpieces in the northern sky, but the list contains examples across the entire range of planetary nebula morphology. Some are tiny star-like points that will challenge you to pick them out of their crowded star fields. Others will appear as ghostly apparitions that will severely test your powers of observation. In addition, we have included four examples of "proto-planetary nebulae" as additional challenges.