The planetary nebula IC 5148, despite its southerly location, is definitely worth a look from a dark site. POSS/DSS photo.

The distinctive southern constellation Grus is home to this month's deep sky object, IC 5148. Skimming a mere 16° off the southern horizon (for central Arizona), this planetary nebula is a fascinating sight despite low-altitude seeing and crud. About two arc-minutes across, the nebula is surprisingly bright. The annular structure should be apparent in six-inch and larger telescopes. One unusual aspect of this nebula is the rather small central "hole" compared to other annular planetaries. A UHC filter helps bring out the structure; an OIII filter may also be useful, though the UHC has the slight edge.

How to get there:

IC 5148 is located slightly over a degree west of Lambda Gruis.

Finder chart for IC 5148