Right ascension 20 22 23 Distance 7.5 Kly (2.3 Kpc) ly Designations Blue Flash Nebula | Declination +20° 06′ 16″ Apparent dimensions (V) 1′.2 Magnitude 10.9 Apparent magnitude (V) 10.9 | |
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Similar NGC 6781, NGC 6934, NGC 6886, NGC 7008, NGC 6826 | ||
NGC 6905, also known as the Blue Flash Nebula, is a planetary nebula in the constellation Delphinus. It was discovered by William Herschel in 1784. The central star is 14.0 mag. The distance of the nebula, as with most planetary nebulae, is not well determined and estimates range between 1.7 and 2.6 kpc.
The shape of NGC 6905 is characterised by an internal shell with angular dimensions 47" ×34" and roughly conical extensions, with ansae-type formations along the major axis. The nucleus of the nebula possesses one of the most broad emission of OVI emission lines among planetary nebulae. Moreover, OVIII emission has been detected in NGC 6905. The ansae were particularly intense in NII. The central star, a white dwarf is estimated to have surface temperature 150.000 K.
NGC 6905 can be detected under dark skies with a 4-inch telescope, but it better observed with larger instruments.
