NGC 6537 Red Spider Nebula

Capture

Seestar s50 429 stacks

Date

13 August 2026

Location

Camden, NSW

Original

1430 × 2540 px

NGC 6537 Red Spider Nebula is a planetary nebula located in the northwest of the constellation Sagittarius. Its distance has been variously estimated as 1,900 light-years or, more likely, 3,000 to 8,000 light-years. Though only a single star is visible in the Red Spider’s heart, a hidden companion star may lurk there as well. This could explain the nebula’s shape, including its characteristic narrow waist and wide outflows. The central star is exceptionally hot, with an estimated surface temperature between 150,000 K and possibly up to 500,000 K, making it among the hottest white dwarf stars known. Its luminosity is roughly 1,000 times that of the Sun, and the core mass is estimated at 0.7 to 0.9 solar masses. Apparent magnitude 13.

See it in the nebulas gallery