NGC 6572 is a relatively young planetary nebula, which only began to expand from its central star, HD 166802, a few millennia ago. In comparison to other similar nebulae, then, it is still relatively small, with a diameter of about a fifth of a light year. This means that its material is still condensed within a comparatively small region, making NGC 6572 rather more luminous than older, more diffuse planetary nebulae.
Show on Sky Map