Floating quietly in the constellation Delphinus, Abell 72 is a faint planetary nebula and one of the lesser-known entries in George Abell’s 1966 catalog. Its delicate structure and low surface brightness make it a challenging target for astrophotographers and visual observers alike. The nebula marks the remains of a Sun-like star in its final evolutionary stages, having shed its outer layers and exposed its hot, ultraviolet-emitting core.

Appearing here as a delicate blue shell against a dense starfield, Abell 72 spans nearly two arcminutes across. Its rounded, bubble-like structure reveals subtle inner details when captured with long exposures and careful image calibration. The glowing gas is primarily ionized oxygen (OIII), giving it its distinct blue hue. Despite its ghostly appearance, this fading stellar envelope tells a vivid story of transformation and cosmic recycling.