Stirling Astronomical Society Gallery

Approximately 1200 light years away, M27 in the faint constellation Vulpecula is an excellent example of a planetary nebula. When a star nears the end of its life, shells of gas can be thrown off from the surface. As they expand away from the dying star, these glowing shells of gas form the characteristic shape. M27 is easy to find in the summer and autumn sky, located between Cygnus and Sagitta within the Summer Triangle. This image was taken using the PIRATE telescope in Tenerife.