Sunny Priyan
NGC 2438 is the planetary nebula, located in front of the open star cluster M46 (also known as NGC 2437).
Image Credit: Freepik
In M46, the stars are roughly 5,400 light-years away and about 2,400 light-years behind the nebula.
Image Credit: Freepik
Use the bright star Sirius, in the constellation Canis Major, as a starting point to locate M46 in the constellation Puppis.
Image Credit: Freepik
William Herschel, the late 18th century astronomer, first spotted NGC 2438.
Image Credit: Freepik
NGC 2438 formed during the death of a Sun-like star.
Image Credit: Freepik
Running out of nuclear fuel, it expelled its outer layers of gas into space and created the spherical glowing nebula.
Image Credit: Freepik