The dimmest Messier object is also one of the most beautiful for the color camera. Despite being low in the western sky, the seeing did improve after 10pm, making the shot possible. The "Little Dumbell" as it is sometimes called is 12.5 magnitude and is a classic bipolar planetary nebula, with the curved arms on each side representing charged particles oriented along magnetic field lines.

Instrument:  12.5" f/5 Home made Newtonian
CCD Camera:  SBIG237
Exposure:  LRGB = 50:20:20:24 (RGB Binned 2x2)
Filters:  RGB Tricolor
Location:  Payson, Arizona
Elevation:  5150 ft.
Sky:  Seeing 6/10, Transparency 8/10
Outside Temperature:  25 F
CCD Temperature:  -20 F
Processing:  Maxim DL, Photoshop, PW Pro, CCD Soft