🌟 It’s a Striking Planetary Nebula
M97 is one of the brightest planetary nebulae in the sky and gets its nickname from its two faint, dark “eyes” that resemble an owl’s face—especially visible in larger telescopes.

🌟 A Rare Round Shape
Unlike many irregular or complex nebulae, M97 is nearly perfectly circular, making it visually distinctive and easy to identify once spotted.

🌟 A Stellar Farewell
You’re witnessing a star’s final breath—M97 is the expanding shell of gas from a dying sun-like star, centered on a faint but visible white dwarf.

🌟 It’s Visible in Modest Scopes
You can spot M97 in a 4–6 inch telescope under decent skies, while 8-inch and larger scopes reveal its subtle structure and “face.”

🌟 A Fun Contrast with Nearby M108
M97 lies just 2° southeast of Merak (in the Big Dipper’s bowl) and is less than a degree from the edge-on spiral galaxy M108—a great double feature for one field of view.

🌟 A Deeper Challenge for Visual Observers
The Owl’s features aren’t immediately obvious—so it rewards patient, attentive viewing and gives observers a chance to hone their skills in spotting subtle contrast.

Find the Big Dipper in Ursa Major and find two stars at the bottom of the bowl: Phecda (+2.43) and Merak (+2.34).

Using a telescope finder, point to Merak.

Using a low-powered eyepiece in the telescope, star hop about 2° from Merak to M97.

✅ Use a medium or large telescope.
The Owl Nebula is small and has low surface brightness, so a telescope of at least 6 inches is recommended, though 8 inches or more will reveal much more detail.

✅ Find it using Merak in Ursa Major.
M97 is located about 2.5 degrees southeast of Merak, one of the stars in the Big Dipper’s bowl. Use a finder scope or star chart to hop to the correct field.

✅ Use a nebula filter.
An OIII or UHC filter dramatically improves contrast, helping the nebula stand out from the background sky and making its circular shape more defined.

✅ Start with moderate magnification and increase gradually.
Begin with around 75x to locate the nebula, then increase to 150x or more to begin resolving the internal features and the central star, especially under good seeing.

✅ Observe under dark, transparent skies.
The Owl Nebula’s subtle structure can be lost to light pollution or haze. Choose a moonless night with excellent transparency for the best view.

✅ Use averted vision to enhance detail.
Looking slightly off to the side will help you detect the faint “eyes” and inner texture of the nebula more easily than direct viewing.

✅ Look for the central star.
The 14th magnitude central star is visible in larger telescopes under good conditions. Spotting it adds to the satisfaction of the observation.

✅ Take your time and revisit it.
Like many planetary nebulae, the Owl Nebula rewards patience. The longer you observe, the more likely you are to see subtle shadings, shapes, and the full eerie effect of its “face.”

❌ Naked Eye
The Owl Nebula is far too faint to be seen with the naked eye.

❌ Binoculars
The Owl Nebula remains invisible in binoculars, even under excellent conditions.

⚠️ Small Telescope
In a small telescope, it appears as a round, diffuse patch of light—soft-edged and slightly brighter at the center, but lacking any clear detail.

✅ Medium Telescope
With a medium telescope, the nebula becomes more defined and begins to show its planetary character; filters such as OIII or UHC help enhance its visibility, and the central star may become faintly visible.

✅ Large Telescope
In a large telescope, especially under dark skies, the Owl Nebula takes on its namesake appearance—an eerie, pale disk with two darker patches resembling eyes, giving it a ghostly, face-like presence that makes it one of the most visually distinctive planetary nebulae for experienced observers.

🟣 In Bortle 1–2 skies, the Owl Nebula comes to life with character and structure. It appears as a large, round, softly glowing disk with a slightly bluish or grayish tint. Most impressively, the “owl eyes”—two dimmer patches within the nebula—are distinctly visible with careful observation. The edges are smooth and well defined, and the nebula stands out clearly against the pitch-black background. The surrounding star field is rich, adding depth and contrast to the view, and the object takes on a haunting, almost three-dimensional presence.

🔵 In Bortle 3–4 skies, the nebula remains fairly bright and easily recognizable as a round, even disk. The darker “eyes” may still be detectable with effort, especially under good seeing, but they begin to fade. The overall glow becomes more uniform, and fine internal texture is harder to pick out. The background sky is lighter, which reduces the contrast and causes the nebula to blend more subtly into its surroundings, though it remains an interesting and worthwhile target.

🟢 In Bortle 5–6 skies, the Owl becomes much less detailed. It still appears as a round patch of light, but the central dimmer regions are no longer visible, and the nebula begins to look flat and featureless. The transition from nebula to sky is less defined, and the entire object seems dimmer. While still visible, M97 begins to lose the qualities that make it distinctive.

🟡 In Bortle 7+ skies, the Owl Nebula is faint and difficult to observe. It may appear as a barely visible circular blur, with no structure or central features. The surrounding sky is too bright to provide contrast, and the nebula blends into the background. It is easily overlooked without prior knowledge of its location, and even when seen, it lacks all the character of its darker-sky presentation.