Barbell Nebula (M76) Position and Visibility Tonight

Where is M76 right now?

M76 is located in the constellation Perseus. Although M76 is currently 20° above the horizon, it is not visible because it is daytime.

Open the interactive guide to M76’s position and path tonight

M76 tonight

M76 visibility on 2026-11-02

M76 Visible all night

M76 rise and set timetable

	Time	Elevation
M76 is always above the horizon
Moonset	09:13	9°
Sunset	12:26	30°
Civil sunset	12:56	35°
Twilight start (−12°)	13:28	39°
Astronomical observing session begins	14:00	44°
M76 is always above the horizon
M76 transit	18:24	78°
Moonrise, 37.5% illuminated	18:52	77°
Astronomical observing session ends	00:31	29°
Twilight end (−12°)	01:03	25°
Civil sunrise	01:35	21°
Sunrise	02:04	17°

Track M76 position throughout the night

← 2 November 2026 →

Time
Altitude
Azimuth

Shift the map to change the time and observe M76 changing position in the night sky.

M76 - Little Dumbbell Nebula

The Little Dumbbell Nebula (M76) is a planetary nebula located in the constellation Perseus. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1780 and later cataloged by Charles Messier. M76 is one of the fainter objects in the Messier catalog.

M76 spans about 1.23 light-years across and contains a central white dwarf star surrounded by a shell of ionized gas. The nebula is approximately 2,500 light-years away from Earth and has an apparent magnitude of 10.1, making it visible with a small telescope.

Barbell Nebula (M76) Passage Through Night

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Current position of Barbell Nebula (M76)

Time	01:49
Latitude	39.9612
Longitude	-82.9988
Elevation	20°
Azimuth	322°

Here you can see the current position of M76 on the map, as well as its positions for rise and set. This tool lets you track its movement throughout the night with accurate, up-to-date information.

When Is Barbell Nebula (M76) Visible Throughout the Year?

M76 will remain visible until March 29, when it moves too close to the Sun and temporarily disappears from the night sky.

Date	Tue, 3 November 2026
Astronomical observing session begins	13:56
Astronomical observing session ends	00:25
Astronomical observing duration	10h 29m
Rise	M76 is always up
Set	M76 is always up
Elevation at transit	78°
Transit time	18:24
Equatorial coordinates	RA: 01h 42m 19s", Dec: 51° 34' 31s
Magnitude	10
Constellation	Perseus

The graph illustrates the annual visibility pattern of M76, including its daily appearances and transit times. The vertical axis shows the hours of the day and the horizontal axis spans the year. The reddish area marks when the object is above the horizon, while the white line marks its daily transit.
You can also see when M76 is visible throughout the year in a table with exact rise, transit, and set times for each date.

Astrometric and Physical Parameters of M76

Coordinates and Visibility

Right Ascension	01h 42m 20s
Declination	51° 34′ 32″
Magnitude	10.1
Constellation	Perseus
Elevation	19.6°
Azimuth	321.8°

Observation Settings