The Dumbbell Nebula - M27

The Dumbbell Nebula in Vulpecula is a planetary type nebula. Called a planetary by the early astronomers due to its small size and resemblance to a planet, what we are seeing are the gases emitted by a dying star which has shed its outer shell. This is the same forecast for our Sun in a couple of billion years. The Dumbbell is one of the most conspicuous planetaries in the sky and is visible through a small telescope.