IC 972

IC 972 is described as a faint planetary nebula in the constellation Virgo. A planetary nebula is the glowing shell expelled by a low- to intermediate-mass star late in its life, not a planet-forming disk.

French astronomer Guillaume Bigourdan first observed and cataloged IC 972 in 1892. The object is part of the Index Catalogue, a supplement to the New General Catalogue.

No. It is a faint deep-sky object requiring optical equipment and a dark observing site, with visibility also depending on sky conditions and aperture.

It lies in Virgo, an equatorial constellation visible from both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres at suitable times of year. Its exact position should be located with a current star chart or astronomy software.