M27 Dumbbell Nebula Estes Park Memorial Observatory Posted on by Estes Park Memorial Observatory Location: Vulpecula; Distance: 1.36 ± 0.2 Thousand Light Years; Planetary Nebula. Gas emitted by dying star; Central white dwarf. Diameter: 2.88 light years; Expansion Rate: 31 km/sec. Total color exposure 30 minutes.