Abell 36
PK 318 +41.1


5 minutes exposure, SBIG ST-8E CCD.
8" f/10 schmidt-cassegrain at prime focus.

Abell 36 is a large planetary nebula in Virgo, about 10 degrees south-east of Spica. It has a very low surface brightness and so although the magnitude is quoted as 13.0, the light is spread out over and area about 5 arc minutes in diameter, making the nebula very faint. The ghostly traces of the nebula are visible between the lines in the above image.