Object of the Season (Spring 2021)

NGC 3242 (The Ghost of Jupiter) in Hydra

NGC 3242 was discovered by Herschel on 7 February 1785. The bright planetary nebula is known as the Ghost of Jupiter.

Planetary Nebula NGC 3242 (The Ghost of Jupiter) in Hydra - Credit: HST/NASA/ESA
This image of Planetary Nebula NGC 3242 (The Ghost of Jupiter) in Hydra was provided by HST/NASA/ESA.
Name
NGC 3242
Position (2000)
10 24 46.1 -18 38 33 (Hya)
Type
PN
Visual Magnitude
7.7
Central Star Magnitude
12.0
Size
25"
Distance
4800 ly
Other Designations
H IV 27, h 3248, GC 2102, PK 261+32.1, ESO 568-PN5, C 59

Results of the observations of NGC 160, NGC 169 and IC 1559 will be published in DSO 188.

Wolfgang Steinicke - Nebulae and Clusters Section Director