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[[File:375px-M57 The Ring Nebula.JPG|thumb|Messier 57 or Ring Nebula]] | [[File:375px-M57 The Ring Nebula.JPG|thumb|Messier 57 or Ring Nebula]] | ||
The Ring Nebula (also catalogued as Messier 57, M57 or NGC 6720) is a planetary nebula in the northern constellation of [[Lyra]]. Such objects are formed when a shell of ionized gas is expelled into the surrounding interstellar medium by a red giant star, which was passing through the last stage in its evolution before becoming a white dwarf.Messier 57 is located south of the bright star [[Vega]], which forms the northwestern vertex of the Summer Triangle asterism. The nebula lies about 40% of the distance from Beta (β) to Gamma (γ) Lyrae,making it an easy target for amateur astronomers to find. | The Ring Nebula (also catalogued as Messier 57, M57 or NGC 6720) is a planetary nebula in the northern constellation of [[Lyra]]. Such objects are formed when a shell of ionized gas is expelled into the surrounding interstellar medium by a red giant star, which was passing through the last stage in its evolution before becoming a white dwarf.Messier 57 is located south of the bright star [[Vega]], which forms the northwestern vertex of the Summer Triangle asterism. The nebula lies about 40% of the distance from Beta (β) to Gamma (γ) Lyrae,making it an easy target for amateur astronomers to find. | ||