---
title: "IC 3568"
url: "https://spacecatalog.org/object/ic-3568"
release: "DR1"
licence: "CC-BY-SA-4.0"
citation: "SpaceCatalog. IC 3568 [catalogue entry]. Data release DR1 (2026-08-21). https://spacecatalog.org/object/ic-3568"
---

# IC 3568

IC 3568 is a planetary [nebula](https://spacecatalog.org/nebulae) in the constellation [Camelopardalis](https://spacecatalog.org/constellation/camelopardalis), 2738 parsecs from Earth as published by Stanghellini+ 2008 (about 8930 ly, converted by SpaceCatalog), shining at apparent magnitude 10.60 (V). Other catalogues list it as 2MASX J12330668+8233506, HD 109540 and IRAS 12317+8250, among 10 designations in total. It was discovered in 1900.

## At a glance

- **WHAT IT IS:** Planetary nebula
- **HOW FAR:** 8930 ly — The light arriving now left it that long ago.
- **HOW BIG ON THE SKY:** 23″ — Small enough that the full Moon would cover it several times over.
- **HOW BRIGHT (V):** 10.60 — A small telescope reaches it.
- **WHERE TO LOOK:** [Camelopardalis](https://spacecatalog.org/constellation/camelopardalis) — The patch of sky it sits in, as seen from Earth.

## Properties

| Quantity | Value |
| --- | --- |
| CLASS | Planetary nebula |
| DISTANCE FROM EARTH | 2738 pc (Stanghellini+ 2008) — ≈ 8930 ly, converted by SpaceCatalog · by Statistical distance scale for planetary nebulae (Stanghellini+ 2008) |
| APPARENT MAGNITUDE (V) | 10.60 |
| CONSTELLATION | Camelopardalis |
| RIGHT ASCENSION (J2000) | 12h 33m 06.8s |
| DECLINATION (J2000) | +82° 33′ 50.1″ |
| DISCOVERED | 1900 |

## Catalogue data

### HOW BRIGHT IT IS

What the light adds up to, measured through one filter at a time. A magnitude is a brightness on a backwards scale — the smaller the number, the brighter the object.

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Apparent magnitude (B) | 12.80 |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 10.60 |
| Apparent magnitude (J) | 11.37 |
| Apparent magnitude (H band) | 11.40 |
| Apparent magnitude (K) | 10.84 |

### WHERE IT IS AND HOW IT MOVES

Position, motion across the sky and the size it covers on it. These are measurements of the object as seen from here, so every one of them depends on where here is.

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Radial velocity | −40 km/s |
| Redshift (z) | −0.000133 |
| Major axis | 0.38′ |

### WHEN IT WAS FOUND

Who first saw it, from where, and by what method.

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Discovered by | Robert Grant Aitken |

### OTHER NAMES AND NUMBERS

The identifiers other catalogues file this object under, for anyone joining this data to theirs.

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Also known as | Lemon slice nebula |
| OpenNGC type code | PN |
| Wikidata item | Q90616042 |
| Wikipedia article | Lemon Slice Nebula |

### WHERE THESE FIGURES CAME FROM

Which catalogue, paper or model each of the fields above was read from, where the source named one.

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Distance catalogue entry | IC 3568 |

## Also known as

- 2MASX: 2MASX J12330668+8233506
- HD: HD 109540
- IC: IC 3568
- IRAS: IRAS 12317+8250
- IRAS: IRAS F12318+8250
- LEDA: LEDA 41662
- PGC: PGC 41662
- PK: PK 123+34 1
- PN: PN G123.6+34.5
- UGC: UGC 7731

## Source

[OpenNGC](https://github.com/mattiaverga/OpenNGC) — CC-BY-SA-4.0

The producer asks: OpenNGC, Mattia Verga (github.com/mattiaverga/OpenNGC). Fields derived from it stay under CC BY-SA 4.0.

How this was made: https://spacecatalog.org/methods#source-openngc

## Cite this page

SpaceCatalog. IC 3568 \[catalogue entry\]. Data release DR1 (2026-08-21). https://spacecatalog.org/object/ic-3568

```bibtex
@misc{spacecatalog_ic-3568,
  author       = {{SpaceCatalog}},
  title        = {{IC 3568}},
  howpublished = {SpaceCatalog, data release DR1 (2026-08-21)},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://spacecatalog.org/object/ic-3568},
  note         = {Catalogue entry, data release DR1 (2026-08-21). Values from OpenNGC.}
}
```

OpenNGC — CC-BY-SA-4.0

Acknowledgement the producer asks for: OpenNGC, Mattia Verga (github.com/mattiaverga/OpenNGC). Fields derived from it stay under CC BY-SA 4.0.

The page itself, with its pictures, the sky map and the observing tools: https://spacecatalog.org/object/ic-3568