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NGC 2371

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description NGC 2371 Overview

NGC 2371, together with its paired designation NGC 2372, is a bipolar planetary nebula located in the constellation Gemini. It was discovered by William Herschel in 1785 and later appeared separately in different catalogues, giving rise to the dual identification. The nebula features two distinct lobes of glowing gas expelled by a dying central star, with asymmetric extensions giving it an irregular shape. It is observable with amateur telescopes under favorable conditions.

help NGC 2371 FAQ

Why is NGC 2371 also called NGC 2372?

The bipolar nebula looks like two separate objects, so John Louis Emil Dreyer entered its two lobes separately in the New General Catalogue. Astronomers now commonly refer to the combined object as NGC 2371-2. [World Asterisms Project](https://rasc.rocks/sites/default/files/World_Asterisms_Project_Handbook_2025.6.pdf)

What kind of object is NGC 2371, and where is it?

NGC 2371 is a bipolar planetary nebula in the constellation Gemini, about 4,300 light-years from Earth. It is the glowing material expelled by a dying Sun-like star, not a planet. [NASA Science](https://science.nasa.gov/asset/hubble/planetary-nebula-ngc-2371/)

Who discovered NGC 2371?

William Herschel discovered the nebula in 1785. Its later split catalog designations explain why some star charts show both NGC 2371 and NGC 2372. [NGC 2371-2 reference](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NGC_2371-2)

What did the Hubble image of NGC 2371 reveal?

Hubble showed pink clouds and dense gas knots on opposite sides of the central star, giving the nebula its distinctive bipolar shape. NASA describes the exposed stellar core as having a surface temperature of about 240,000 degrees Fahrenheit. [NASA Science](https://science.nasa.gov/asset/hubble/planetary-nebula-ngc-2371/)

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