Changes

| parallax        =

| parallax        =

}}

}}

The '''Little dumbbell nebula''' (M76, NGC 650/NGC 651) is a [[planetary nebula]] in the [[constellation]] of [[Perseus]].<ref name=messier-objects/> It has two designations in the [[New General Catalogue]] as it was originally thought to be two separate objects. The name arises from it great similarity to the [[Dumbbell nebula]], though it appears somewhat smaller in telescopes. One of the four planetary nebulae in Messier's catalogue, along with the [[Dumbbell nebula]], the [[Ring nebula]] and the [[Owl nebula]]. The nebula's small size on the night sky and its faintness makes it one of the most difficult [[Messier object]]s to observe. It is visible with binoculars, but is better seen with a telescope.

The '''Little dumbbell nebula''' (M76, NGC 650/NGC 651) is a [[planetary nebula]] in the [[constellation]] of [[Perseus]].<ref name=messier-objects/> It has two designations in the [[New General Catalogue]] as it was originally thought to be two separate objects. The name arises from it great similarity to the [[Dumbbell nebula]], though it appears somewhat smaller in telescopes. One of the four planetary nebulae in Messier's catalogue, along with the [[Dumbbell nebula]], the [[Ring nebula]] and the [[Owl nebula]]. The nebula's small size on the night sky and its faintness makes it one of the most difficult [[Messier object]]s to observe. It is visible with binoculars, but is better seen with a telescope. The nebula is also occasionally known as the Barbell nebula of the Cork nebula.<ref name=seds>[http://www.messier.seds.org/m/m076.html Messier 76] from messier.seds.org</ref> It is also sometimes called the "Butterfly nebula" though the name "Butterfly nebula" normally refers to [[NGC 6302]].

==History==

==History==

The Little dumbbell nebula was first observed by Pierre Méchain on September 5, 1780.<ref name=freestarcharts>[https://freestarcharts.com/messier-76 Messier 76] from freestarcharts.com</ref> [[Charles Messier]] added it to his [[Messier catalogue|catalogue]] the following month on October 21.<ref name=messier-objects/> Later in 1787, [[William Herschel]] conjectured that the nebula was in fact a double nebula and gave each component a different designation. Subsequently, this was repeated when John Dreyer compile the [[New General Catalogue]] in 1888, giving the two supposed nebulae the identifiers NGC 650 and NGC 651. William Huggins used spectroscopy to show the nebula is composed gas in 1866, containing Nebulium lines.<ref name=seds>[http://www.messier.seds.org/m/m076.html Messier 76] from messier.seds.org</ref> Issac Roberts noted similarities to the [[Ring nebula]] in 1891 but it was not until 1918 that Heber Doust Curtis classified the nebula as a [[planetary nebula]].<ref name=freestarcharts/> Issac Roberts also showed that it was a single and not a double nebula.

The Little dumbbell nebula was first observed by Pierre Méchain on September 5, 1780.<ref name=freestarcharts>[https://freestarcharts.com/messier-76 Messier 76] from freestarcharts.com</ref> [[Charles Messier]] added it to his [[Messier catalogue|catalogue]] the following month on October 21.<ref name=messier-objects/> Later in 1787, [[William Herschel]] conjectured that the nebula was in fact a double nebula and gave each component a different designation. Subsequently, this was repeated when John Dreyer compile the [[New General Catalogue]] in 1888, giving the two supposed nebulae the identifiers NGC 650 and NGC 651. William Huggins used spectroscopy to show the nebula is composed gas in 1866, containing Nebulium lines.<ref name=seds/> Issac Roberts noted similarities to the [[Ring nebula]] in 1891 but it was not until 1918 that Heber Doust Curtis classified the nebula as a [[planetary nebula]].<ref name=freestarcharts/> Issac Roberts also showed that it was a single and not a double nebula.

==Properties and Structure==

==Properties and Structure==