Constellation: Lyra
Distance: 2,300 light years
Magnitude: 8.8
Actual Size: 1.3 light years across
Visual Size: 3.3 arcminutes
Other Designations: NGC6720

Best seen through an 8 inch or larger telescope, however a smaller instrument will also show the ring, which appears like a smoke ring.

The Ring Nebula was first discovered by Antoine Darquier de Pellepoix in January, 1779 who reported that it was "...as large as Jupiter and resembles a planet which is fading." Later the same month, Charles Messier independently found the same nebula while searching for comets. It was then entered into his catalogue as the 57th object. Messier and William Herschel also speculated that the nebula was formed by multiple faint stars that were unable to resolve with his telescope.

The rate of expansion is roughly 1 arcsecond per century.  It is estimated that the 15th magnitude progenitor star exploded approximately 1,610 years ago.