The Spirograph Nebula, IC 418

IC 418, The Spirograph Nebula
Sketch by Serge Vieillard, text by Frank McCabe

This beautiful planetary nebula shows a distinct green color in Serge Vieillard’s impressive drawing. The central collapsing star (about 10th mag.) is somewhat variable in brightness as it continues to evolve to the white dwarf stage of its life. This planetary is about 2000 light years away in the constellation of Lepus the hare. Some observers have reported this planetary as appearing red accounting for its other name the “Red Planetary”. The visual magnitude of this planetary is about 11. This observation was made at St. Véran in the French Alps back in October of last year as a club group of 6 ascended the mountain to visually observe with the great 620mm Cassegrain there. Serge commented that all in the observing group were surprised by the color of this nebula.