M97 is a planetary nebula, formed about 6000 years ago when
the star at its center blew off its own outer layers. It has
been called the "Owl Nebula" since the mid-1800s due to the
two dark "eyes" on the face. Those dark "eyes" and uneven edge
indicates that this nebula has a complex structure which is not
yet fully understood. You can see a couple of distant galaxies on
either side of M 97. This image is cropped from the "M 97" image
found in the DSLR gallery; you can see many more background galaxies
in this region in that image.

Image data:
Camera: Canon 350XT (modified)
Exposure: ISO 800, 5 minutes x 17
Telescope: 10" Schmidt-Newtonian