The famously named "Ring Nebula" (also catalogued as Messier 57, M57 or NGC 6720) is located in the northern constellation of Lyra. It is one of the most prominent examples of a planetary nebula, the gaseous remains of red giant star that has ended its life by expelling its material into the surrounding interstellar medium.

The nebula is best observed using apertures of at least 20 cm (8-inches), but even a 7.5 cm (3-inch) telescope will reveal its elliptical ring shape. Larger instruments will show a few darker zones on the eastern and western edges of the ring, and some faint nebulosity inside the disk. The central star, at magnitude 14.8, is difficult to spot.