The Dumbbell Nebula (also called Messier 27 or NGC 6853) is a 7.5 mag bright planetary nebula in the constellation Vulpecula. It can just be seen in binoculars, further structures can be seen with a bigger telescope. The central star is a white dwarf of 14 mag with a temperature of over 100,000 Kelvin. The distance to Earth is about 1,400 light-years. It got its name from Sir William Herschel because of its elongated shape. The nebula expands at 6.8 arc seconds per century. The Dumbbell Nebula was discovered by Charles Messier on July 12, 1764.