One of the more bizarre planetaries, NGC 7008 reminds many of a human fetus. The bright spots on the northern tip and at the western edge are regions of dense gas — not stars.
Donn and Aaron Starkey/Adam Block /NOAO/AURA/NSF
Many more planetary nebulae await you in Cygnus the Swan. Download this table for detailed information about 53 planetaries, including where to find them and how they are classed. Bold entries are described in my article in the July issue of Astronomy, “Explore planetary nebulae in Cygnus.”
