M27 - The Dumbell Nebula. From NASA: M27 resides more than 1,200 light-years away in the constellation Vulpecula. M27 was the first planetary nebula ever discovered. The term “planetary nebula” is a bit of a misnomer based on the nebula’s round, planet-like appearance when viewed through smaller telescopes. The nebula is the result of an old star that has shed its outer layers in a glowing display of color. The image is composed of 60 ea, 30 second exposures, stacked for noise reduction.