NGC 2818 + Mel 96 (PN+OC)
| R.A. | Dec. | Size | Mag | SB | Cnt.St | Type | Distance | Chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09h 16m 02.0s | -36° 37′ 55.3″ | 40′′ | 11.6 | 10.5 | 3b | PN | -- | -- |
Background
NGC 2818 is a planetary nebula apparently embedded within the open cluster Mel 96 (Melotte 96) — a rare configuration. Both lie at similar distance ( 10,000 light-years), although recent work suggests the apparent association may be a chance line-of-sight coincidence rather than a physical pairing. The pair is best appreciated together: the cluster glows at 8th magnitude across 9', with the planetary embedded near its centre at 11.6 mag and just 40” across.
My Observing Notes
44-cm (Club 17.5-inch f/5): Hopped over to Pyxis from γ Velorum, then north-west to ψ Velorum; from there a chain of 3 stars just visible to the naked eye guides you to the cluster. At 12th magnitude, not a bright cluster, but rich enough to easily distinguish in the FOV. Right in the middle floats the grey, slightly elongated disk of the planetary. The top-right / bottom-left taper off into a fainter halo.(10 April 2026)
References
Charts
