Owl Nebula

A planetary nebula in Ursa Major, roughly 2,030 light-years away. The two dark “eyes” that give it its name are cavities in the nebula’s shell where the gas is less dense, creating a face-like appearance. M97 is one of the more complex planetary nebulae — its three-dimensional structure is thought to be a torus viewed from an angle rather than a simple sphere. It’s a small target that rewards longer focal lengths and careful processing to bring out the subtle OIII and H-alpha structure.