Shapley 1 is an annular

Annulus (mathematics)

In mathematics, an annulus is a ring-shaped geometric figure, or more generally, a term used to name a ring-shaped object. Or, it is the area between two concentric circles...

 planetary nebula

Planetary nebula

A planetary nebula is an emission nebula consisting of an expanding glowing shell of ionized gas ejected during the asymptotic giant branch phase of certain types of stars late in their life...

 in the constellation

Constellation

In modern astronomy, a constellation is an internationally defined area of the celestial sphere. These areas are grouped around asterisms, patterns formed by prominent stars within apparent proximity to one another on Earth's night sky....

 of Norma

Norma (constellation)

Norma is a small and inconspicuous constellation in the southern hemisphere between Scorpius and Centaurus. Its name is Latin for normal, referring to a right angle, and is variously considered to represent a rule, a carpenter's square, a set square or a level....

 with a magnitude of +12.6. As viewed from Earth, it is peculiar in that it seems to be a non-bipolar

Bipolar nebula

A bipolar nebula is a distinctive nebular formation characterized by an axially symmetric bi-lobed appearance.Many, but not all, planetary nebulae exhibit an observed bipolar structure...

, torus

Torus

In geometry, a torus is a surface of revolution generated by revolving a circle in three dimensional space about an axis coplanar with the circle...

-shaped planetary nebula.

Discovered in 1936 by Harlow Shapley

Harlow Shapley

Harlow Shapley was an American astronomer.-Career:He was born on a farm in Nashville, Missouri, and dropped out of school with only the equivalent of a fifth-grade education...

, it is approximately 1,000 light years from Earth. At the centre of the nebula is a magnitude 14 white dwarf star. It has an angular diameter of 1.1 arc seconds, which makes it about one-third (.32) of a light year across.