Best White Dwarf
Updated Daily
Sirius B is a dense white dwarf star orbiting within the Sirius system of Canis Major. It represents the remnant core of a once-massive star that exhausted its nuclear fuel. This object’s extreme density—a sun's mass packed into Earth-sized volume—makes it a valuable subject for astronomical researc...
The Chandrasekhar limit represents the critical mass a stellar remnant can sustain against gravitational collapse. It’s approximately 1.44 solar masses, established for white dwarf stars composed primarily of carbon and oxygen. This limit dictates the fate of these stars; exceeding it initiates a su...
The Ring Nebula, formally designated M57, is a planetary nebula surrounding a white dwarf star. It’s notable for its distinctive ring shape created by expanding gas ejected during the star's final stages of life. Located in the constellation Lyra, this object provides valuable insight into stellar e...
40 Eridani B is a white dwarf star located approximately 16 light-years from Earth, serving as a component of the 40 Eridani triple star system in the constellation of Eridanus. It was one of the first white dwarfs to be identified and analyzed, with astronomers in the early 20th century recognizing...
The Helix Nebula, formally NGC 7293, is a large planetary nebula situated approximately 650 light-years from Earth within the Aquarius constellation. It’s notable as one of the largest planetary nebulae in terms of apparent size, showcasing intricate structures formed by the expelled gases of a dyin...
Procyon B is a white dwarf star and the fainter component of the Procyon binary system in the constellation Canis Minor. It orbits Procyon A, an F-type main-sequence star that is among the brightest stars in the night sky. The companion's existence was first inferred from irregularities in Procyon A...
The Cat’s Eye Nebula (NGC 6543) is a complex planetary nebula formed from a dying white dwarf star. Its intricate structure, featuring layered gas shells, was initially identified through spectral analysis by William Huggins in 1864 marking an important step in understanding these celestial objects....
The Eight-Burst Nebula, formally NGC 3132, is a vibrant planetary nebula located in the southern sky approximately 2,000 light-years from Earth. It’s notable for its complex burst structure and the prominent white dwarf star at its center – a remnant of a former star system. Astronomers and amateur...
The Dumbbell Nebula (Messier 27) is a large planetary nebula formed from the ejected remains of a white dwarf star. Discovered by Charles Messier in 1764, it’s notable for its substantial size and brightness within this type of celestial object. Located approximately 1,360 light-years away in the co...
The Eskimo Nebula, formally NGC 2392, is a planetary nebula formed from a dying white dwarf star. Its distinctive double-shell structure, created by material ejected over thousands of years, makes it a notable example of stellar evolution. Discovered by William Herschel in 1787, this Hubble Space Te...
Van Maanen's Star (van Maanen 2) is a white dwarf in the constellation Pisces, discovered by Dutch-American astronomer Adriaan van Maanen in 1917 from photographic plates. At approximately 14 light-years away, it is the closest known solitary white dwarf to the Sun, and among the closest white dwarf...
NGC 3242, commonly known as the Ghost of Jupiter Nebula, is a planetary nebula located in the constellation Hydra. It was first discovered by astronomer William Herschel in 1785. The object earned its popular nickname due to its similar apparent size to the planet Jupiter and its distinct blue-green...
The Saturn Nebula (NGC 7009) is a planetary nebula located in the constellation Aquarius, discovered by William Herschel in 1782. Its common name derives from a visual resemblance to the planet Saturn, produced by elongated extensions of ionized gas known as ansae projecting from opposite sides of t...
The Blinking Planetary Nebula, designated NGC 6826, is a bright planetary nebula located in the northern constellation Cygnus. It features a central white dwarf surrounded by a shell of ionized gas and is noted for the presence of fast, low-ionization emission regions called flier knots. In amateur...
IC 418, known as the Spirograph Nebula, is a compact planetary nebula in the constellation Lepus. It consists of gas expelled by a dying star and illuminated by the hot stellar remnant at its center, whose temperature is approximately 40,000 kelvin. Detailed images reveal intricate arcs, loops, and...
NGC 6369, commonly called the Little Ghost Nebula, is a planetary nebula in the constellation Ophiuchus. William Herschel discovered it in 1784, and images show a prominent ring of ionized gas surrounding a hot stellar remnant, with fainter material extending beyond the main shell. The nebula record...
A planetary nebula in Perseus and one of the faintest objects in the Messier catalog, discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1780 and notable for its distinctive bi-lobed structure.
A planetary nebula in Aquila approximately 6,500 light-years away, notable for its complex multi-shell structure and high-velocity gas knots visible in Hubble Space Telescope images.
A planetary nebula in Cetus discovered by William Herschel in 1785, notable for its large apparent size of about 4 arcminutes and a central white dwarf binary system.
