Kronberger 61
| Kronberger 61 | |
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Image of the Kronberger 61 nebula taken by the Gemini Observatory
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| Observation data (Epoch J2000) |
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| Right ascension | 19h 21m 38.936s[1] |
| Declination | +38° 18′ 57.2420″[1] |
| Constellation | Cygnus |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Other designations | Kronberger 61, Soccer Ball Nebula |
Kronberger 61 also known as the "soccer ball" is a Nebula discovered by an amateur astronomer in January, 2011, with the newer images having been taken by the Gemini Observatory.[2] The nebula is named for Austrian Mattias Kronberger, who is a member of the amateur group Deep Sky Hunters. The object is estimated to lie 13,000 light-years away. They discovered the nebula while searching near the northern constellation of Cygnus.[3] It is hoped that the discovery will help resolve a decades-old debate: are stellar companions key to the formation and structure of planetary nebulae?[4] The nebula is within a relatively small area which is currently being monitored by NASA’s Kepler planet finding mission and the light of the nebula is primarily due to the emissions from doubly ionized oxygen.[4]
