... M27: Not A Comet . ... Well, 20th century astronomers would classify it as a Planetary Nebula ... but it's not a planet either, even though it may appear round and planet-like in a small telescope. ... Known by the popular name of the Dumbbell Nebula , the beautifully symmetric interstellar gas cloud is about 1,200 light-years away in the constellation Vulpecula . ... Publications with keywords: planetary nebula - dumbbell nebula . Publications with words: planetary nebula - dumbbell nebula . ...