NGC 246 (also known as the Skull Nebula[4] or Caldwell 56) is a planetary nebula in the constellation Cetus. The nebula and the stars associated with it are listed in several catalogs, as summarized by the SIMBAD database.[1] It is roughly 1,600 light-years away.[6] The nebula's central star is the 12th magnitude[6] white dwarf HIP 3678.
| Emission nebula | |
|---|---|
| Planetary nebula | |
An infrared Spitzer Space Telescope image of NGC 246. Credit: NASA/JPL. | |
| Observation data: J2000 epoch | |
| Right ascension | 00h 47m 03.338s[1] |
| Declination | −11° 52′ 18.94″[1] |
| Distance | 1,600 light-years ly |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 8[2] / 11.8 (central star)[1] |
| Apparent dimensions (V) | 3.8′[2] |
| Constellation | Cetus |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Radius | 2-3 light-years[3] ly |
| Designations | Skull Nebula,[4] Pac-Man Nebula,[5] Caldwell 56, HIP 3678, PMN J0047-1152, 2E 178, PN VV 4, IRAS 00445-1207[1] |
| See also: Lists of nebulae | |
Among some amateur astronomers, NGC 246 is known as the "Pac-Man Nebula" because of the arrangement of its central stars and the surrounding star field.[5]
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