NGC 3242 is a bright planetary nebula easily found just south of SAO 155980, a relatively bight magnitude 3.8 star in the constellation Hydra. The nebula has a distinct bluish hue that is readily seen through a C-14 and a medium power eyepiece. NGC 3242 is nicknamed “The Ghost of Jupiter” perhaps because it shares a vaguely similar shape with the planet. The white dwarf star residing in its center threw off its outer layer to form the nebula that we now see.
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