This obscure planetary nebula is stationed in Aquila, the eagle, about 5 degrees west of this constellation's brightest star, 0.9 magnitude Altair. Just 35" in diameter, this 12.2(P) magnitude planetary has a high surface brightness of about 19.5(V) magnitude per square arcsecond. I was able to employ high magnification as a result.

The sketch at left records a 247X view in my 10-inch Newtonian. That works out to a 1.0-mm exit pupil, which usually translates to great views of small, high surface brightness objects. NGC 6804 lies just south of the center of the field. Its 35" diameter form snugs up to 12th magnitude GSC 1055:1669, visible against the eastern edge of the planetary. A 13th magnitude GSC star is visible another 28" to the east. NGC 6804's 14.3 magnitude central star is seen with averted vision, embedded at the center of the nebula. Another 35 stars dot the field. These include a 12th magnitude sparkler 1'.2 southwest of NGC 6804. The brightest field star is 8.9 magnitude HD 183991, 6' to the southeast of the planetary.