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NGC3242
Ghost of Jupiter
Planetary Nebula
| Right Ascension | 10h 24m 46s | Best Seen | 4/1 - 5/15 |
| Declination | -18° 38' 33" | Magnitude | 9.0 |
| Constellation | Hydra | ||
| Actual | Compared to | |
| Distance | 1,700 ly | -- |
| Diameter | 0.3 ly | 17,200 (Earth/Sun) |
| Actual Brightness of central star | -- | -- |
| Magnitude of central star | 11.4 | -- |
| Spectral Type of central star | -- | -- |
| Surface Temperature of central star | 107,000 °F | -- |
| Age | 1,700 years | -- |
| Density(gram/cubic cm) | -- | -- |
What To Look For Through The Telescope
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Recommended eyepiece: 26mm
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This object looks like a small fuzzy white ball.
NGC 3242 Information
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This object has the nickname “The Ghost of Jupiter” because of its hazy resemblance to the planet.
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This nebula is expanding at about 16 miles per second.
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References
| Item | Updated | Notes |
| Coordinates | 2003-01-09 | tweaked a bit |
| Distance | 2003-01-09 | OK with http://www.astro.washington.edu/balick/WFPC2/n3242.caption.html |
| Diameter | 2003-01-09 | previously said 0.6 ly / 36,000 Earth-Sun distance BUT site says radius is 1.29x10^12km, giving this diameter |
| Actual Brightness – Star | 2003-01-09 | previously said 25 times sun – but can that be for a white dwarf??? |
| Magnitude – Star | 2003-01-09 | can find no support, but looks OK |
| Spectral Type – Star | 2003-01-09 | can find no info |
| Surface Temperature – Star | 2003-01-09 | Previously said 60,000 K – can’t find support, but sounds OK, put in °F |
| Age | 2003-01-09 | OK with http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~echollet/results.htm |
| Density | -- | |
| Other Information | 2003-01-09 | Expansion speed from http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~echollet/results.htm |