The drawing at left is based on a 388X view (8.8 mm UWA with a TeleVue 3X Barlow) over a 13' diameter true field. This magnitude 8.8 planetary nebula displays an oval shape elongated across an 3'x2' area. A 40" thick bright outer ring surrounds a circular inner region some 70" across. Subtle, faint lobes at the east and west limit of the annulus give the nebula an elongated appearance.

The 15.2 magnitude central star of the Ring Nebula is a difficult detection unless conditions feature both good transparency and steady seeing. I was able to detect the central star on this night and suspect an 8-inch aperture could do the trick. I used several faint field stars of known magnitude to confirm my sighting of the central star. Magnitude 13.03 GSC 2642-0433, is visible near the eastern edge of the nebula. Magnitude 14.17 GSC 2642-0239 is roughly 90" southeast of M57. Magnitude 14.61 J185331+3302.5 is shown to the northwest. A 15th magnitude star is located 10" to the west of J185331+3302.5. There is a 12th magnitude star embedded in the western section of the lobe. A star estimated by Todd Gross to be magnitude 15.6 is visible 60" north of this lobe star.