M57 NGC 6720
The Ring Nebula

Object Type Planetary Nebula
Constellation Lyra
Magnitude 8.8
Size 3.0' x 3.0'

M57 is the classic planetary nebulae of the northern sky. Its beautiful ring shape is visible in a 6" telescope. The central star can be very elusive however, and is a difficult object in a 16" telescope.

The nebula exhibits a strong responce to an OIII filter.


Film Images



35 minutes exposure. Kodak Ektachrome 400 slide film.
5" f/5 refractor at prime focus.


CCD Images



Combination of 10, 1 minute exposures, Meade 416XTE CCD.
8" f/6.3 schmidt-cassegrain at prime focus.


Combination of 5, 3 minute exposures, Meade 416XTE CCD.
300mm f/6 newtonian at prime focus.


Combination of 5, 2 minute exposures, SBIG ST-8E CCD.
300mm f/18 cassegrain at prime focus.
The stars appear bloated due to very poor seeing conditions.


Combination of 5, 3 minute exposures, SBIG ST-9XE CCD.
16" f/10 schmidt-cassegrain with f/6.3 focal reducer.


Combination of 5, 3 minute exposures with red and green filters and 6, 3 minute exposures with a blue filter.
SBIG ST-9XE CCD. 16" f/10 schmidt-cassegrain with f/6.3 focal reducer.


Combination of 6, 5 minute exposures using an H-alpha filter.
SBIG ST-9XE CCD. 16" f/10 schmidt-cassegrain at prime focus.

Using an H-alpha filter darkens the background sky considerably:- a wonderful bonus in light-polluted city skies. This has allowed some of the very faint outer portions of the planetary to be visible. Notice also, the lack of the central star!


Combination of 20, 3 minute images unfiltered,
and 5, 3 minute images with red green and blue filter,.
SBIG STL-1001E CCD. 16" f/10 schmidt-cassegrain at prime focus.


Combination of 9, 1 minute exposures, SBIG ST-8E CCD.
16" f/15 refractor at prime focus.


Combination of 12, 3 minute images.
SBIG STL-1001E CCD. 20" f/6.8 Dall-Kirkham cassegrain telescope at prime focus.


Combination of 60, 30 second exposures, SBIG ST-8E CCD.
30" f/5 newtonian at prime focus.


Combination of 10, 3 minute images.
SBIG STL-1001E CCD. 20" f/6.8 Dall-Kirkham cassegrain telescope with a 2x barlow lens.


Combination of 10, 3 minute images unfiltered, and 10, 3 minute images using red, green and blue filters.
SBIG STL-1001E CCD. 20" f/6.8 Dall-Kirkham cassegrain telescope with a 2x barlow lens.

To the upper right (northwest) of M57 is the 14th magnitude spiral galaxy IC 1296. This object is visible in a 12" telescope as a small, faint patch of light.