Object: M57, NGC 6720
Type: Planetary Nebula
Constellation: Lyra (Lyr)
Location: RA: 18h 54m Dec: +33°02' (2000)
Brightness: 9.0
Size: 2,5'

One of the most famous planetary nebulae - one of the last stage in a life-cycle of solar-mass stars. This nebula displays a distinctive ring like structure, visible even in small telescopes. Larges scopes show more details, in particular intricate structures in the ring itself. The central star is quite difficult visually but easily shows on photographs. For many years scientists believed it has a shape of a sphere. Now we understand this object has axial symmetry and possibly looks like huge space cylinder, which we happen to see almost "on axis", and the small deviation angle is responsible for apparent elongation of the object.