Messier 76, also known as the Little Dumbbell Nebula, is a planetary nebula located in the constellation Perseus. It lies about 2,500 light-years from Earth and is one of the fainter objects in the Messier catalog. The nebula’s unique appearance resembles a smaller version of the Dumbbell Nebula (M27), which inspired its nickname. Structurally, M76 consists of two distinct lobes: a bright central region and fainter outer wings, which are remnants of gas ejected by a dying star. If you observe closely, you’ll notice additional, extremely faint lobes extending farther out to the sides. At M76’s core lies a white dwarf, the remnant of the progenitor star.
Telescope: 16″ f3.75 Dream Scope
Camera: FLI ML16803
Mount: ASA DDM85
Exposure: 10.5 hours (3x20x300s RGB + 66x300s L)
Date: September 2024
Location: Southern Alps, France
Bart Delsaert - Astrophotography 