NGC 246 (also known as the Skull Nebula or Caldwell 56) is a planetary nebula in the constellationCetus. The nebula and the stars associated with it are listed in several catalogs, as summarized by the SIMBAD database. It is roughly 1,600 light-years away. The nebula’s central star is the 12th magnitude white dwarf HIP 3678. Among some amateur astronomers, NGC 246 is known as the “Pac-Man Nebula” because of the arrangement of its central stars and the surrounding star field.