Skull Nebula
Planetary nebula

Skull Nebula

NGC 246 · Cetus
These photons are ~1,600 years old
LP
Date
2025-09-22
Location
36.3857° N, 28.0415° E
Integration
59m (354 × 10s)
Software
ZWO Seestar app
Notes
—
Plate solve
Centre RA
0h 47m 28.3s
Centre Dec
−11° 58′ 49″
Field
42.7′ × 76.2′
Pixel scale
2.37″/px
Orientation
133.9° E of N
TelescopeZWO Seestar S50
CameraZWO Seestar S50 Camera
RigFamily Holiday Rig
Captured from · Ελλάς
36.3857° N, 28.0415° E · open map ↗

Where to find it

Interactive sky chart centred on 0 47 28.3 -11 58 49, with constellation stick figures overlaid. Locate shows the whole constellation with the target ringed; Field zooms to the close-up. Drag to pan, scroll to zoom, click any star to identify it. Imagery: DSS colour survey via CDS Aladin Lite. Constellation figures © Dominic Ford (GPLv3).

A large, faint planetary nebula with a mottled interior and a central white dwarf. The patchy, low-brightness disc requires long exposures; deep images reveal a faint outer halo.

Frequently asked questions

What kind of object is NGC 246?
NGC 246 is a planetary nebula.
Which constellation is NGC 246 in?
NGC 246 lies in the constellation Cetus.
How far away is NGC 246?
The light in this image left NGC 246 roughly ~1,600 years ago, so that is how far back in time you are seeing it.
What are the coordinates of NGC 246?
NGC 246 sits at right ascension 00h 47m 28s and declination −11° 58′ 49″ (J2000).
When is the best time to photograph NGC 246?
NGC 246 rides highest in the evening sky around October, reaching about 25° above the horizon from around 54°N.
What equipment was used to photograph NGC 246?
This image of NGC 246 was captured with ZWO Seestar S50 and ZWO Seestar S50 Camera.
How much exposure time went into this image?
This image of NGC 246 represents 59m (354 × 10s) of total integration time.