Planetary Nebula in Andromeda
The Blue Snowball definitely has a bluish tint when observed through most telescopes. Because of its high surface brightness it tolerates high magnification well, and can be seen as an oval disk in even small scopes. With medium or large amateur scopes, some detail can be seen in the disk. There is a darkening in the center, and under good conditions a brighter oval band can be seen surrounding it. Some say this interior part of the nebula resembles an eye.
As is the case with many planetary nebulae, there is considerable uncertainty about the distance to the Blue Snowball. An average estimate is about 3000 or 4000 light years, which would make it about 0.5 light years in diameter.
| Magnitude | 8.3 |
| Apparent Size | 0.6' x 0.6' |
| Distance (light yrs) | 3,600 |
| Right Ascension | 23:25.9 |
| Declination | +42 32 |
| Field of View | 20' x 15' |
Image details: Exposure times of 20 minutes luminance and 10 minutes each of red, green and blue, taken with an SBIG STF-8300M camera and a 14" Meade LX850 telescope at f/6.
October 2020