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    Type a name: Jupiter, Orion, M42, Perseids, a city. Ctrl+K or / opens search on any page.

    Planetary nebula in Lyra

    M57 (Ring Nebula)

    Photo: NASA, ESA and the Hubble Heritage (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration

    From New York on October 13, 2026, M57 rises at 9:57 AM in the NE, is highest at 6:21 PM (82° above the horizon in the S) and sets at 2:40 AM in the NW.

    Rises 9:57 AMOctober 14 · NE
    Highest 6:21 PM 82° S
    Sets 2:40 AMOctober 14 · NW
    Best in the evening sky October, June, July, August, and September

    In the 3D sky

    The sky over New York turned towards M57. Drag to look around.

    Loading 3D view...

    12:07 PMTue, Oct 13

    Drag to look around, pinch or scroll to zoom.

    Evening visibility over the year

    Height of M57 above the horizon at 10 pm local time on the 15th of each month, from New York.

    0°30°60°90°Oct: 45°OctNov: 13°NovDec: -3°DecJan: -14°JanFeb: -15°FebMar: -12°MarApr: 1°AprMay: 18°MayJun: 40°JunJul: 62°JulAug: 82°AugSep: 67°Sep

    Facts

    TypePlanetary nebula
    Brightness (magnitude)8.8
    Size in the sky1.3 arcminutes
    ConstellationLyra
    Position (J2000)18h 53m 35s, +33° 01′ 43″
    Other designationsNGC 6720

    Hubble’s view

    Black background holding an oval of light. The outer ring of the oval is orange-red. Moving inward the ring is more greenish-yellow. The center of the ring is bright blue with one small star at its center and another above and to the right of it.
    Hubble often shows only part of a large object. Through binoculars or a small telescope it looks much fainter and smaller. Photo: NASA, ESA and the Hubble Heritage (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration

    Finder charts

    A wide field to find the right part of the sky and a closer field with fainter stars. North is up and east on the left.

    CygnusHerculesLyraSagittaVulpeculaM92M29M27M56M57NE
    50° field, stars to magnitude 5.
    M56M57NE
    12° field, stars to magnitude 9.

    Nearby Messier objects

    Data: OpenNGC (CC BY-SA 4.0). Photo: NASA Hubble Messier Catalog, credit as shown. Data sources

    How to use this page

    Choose your place and a night at the top. The page shows when the object is highest and where to look, the 3D sky with it marked, and its visibility through the year. The finder charts help you star-hop to it with binoculars or a small telescope.

    Frequently asked questions

    Can I see it with the naked eye?

    The brightest Messier objects, such as the Pleiades and the Orion Nebula, show to the eye under a dark sky. Most others need binoculars or a small telescope, and all of them look best far from city lights.

    Why does it look grey and not colourful like the photo?

    The eye’s colour cells do not work in dim light, so faint objects look grey. Photos collect light for minutes or hours and show colours the eye cannot see.

    When is the best time to look?

    When the object is high in a dark sky and the Moon is down or a thin crescent. The page gives the best time for the night you choose.

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