Ring Nebula. 19th-century astronomical observation of the planetary nebula now called the Ring Nebula (M57, NGC 6720). North is at top. This object co

---

Ring Nebula. 19th-century astronomical observation of the planetary nebula now called the Ring Nebula (M57, NGC 6720). North is at top. This object consists of an expanding shell of material ejected from a star around 1600 years ago. It is about 2300 light years away, in the constellation of Lyra. This 20-minute exposure was obtained on 31 July 1887, from the observatory in Maghull, Merseyside, UK. This observatory was operated by British amateur astronomer Isaac Roberts (1829-1904), one of the pioneers of the new techniques of astrophotography.

---

Size: 3874px × 4523px
Photo credit: © ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: 1800s, 1887, 19th, 31, 6720, amateur, astronomical, astronomy, astrophotograph, astrophotography, astrophysical, astrophysics, black--white, british, century, circle, circular, cut, cut-, cut-outs, cutout, cutouts, early, english, european, exposure, historical, history, isaac, july, long, lyra, m57, maghull, monochrome, nebula, ngc, night, observation, observatory, outs, photographs, pioneering, planetary, ring, roberts, sky, space, telescope, universe