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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.
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Photo credit: © ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
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