Nov 29, 2024
NGC 3195, C109 // Adam Block
The final item in the Caldwell Catalog, NGC 3195 is a planetary nebula that resembles a phantom snowball. It is located about 6,440 light years away in the constellation of Chamaeleon, the Chameleon. Discovered by John Herschel (1792-1871) in 1835, observations show many surprisingly intricate, glowing patterns spun into space by aging stars: pinwheels, lawn-sprinkler-style jets, elegant goblet shapes, and even some that look like a rocket engine's exhaust. It is best seen in the autumn in the southern hemisphere.