Humason 1-2 (Hu 1-2) is a bipolar hourglass shaped planetary nebula.^[3] Hu 1-2 was discovered by astronomer Milton L. Humason in October 11, 1920.^[4]

The distance of Hu 1-2 has never been confirmed, One study gave a lower limit of ~1.17 kpc, although the galactocentric distance might be ~9 kpc, estimated from ~3.5 kpc.^[5] The nebula is 8.8° above the plane, corresponding to 150-300 pc. A study identified two bipolar knots moving at velocities greater than 340 kms-1.^[6] These knots were found to contain [N II] and [O III] emission lines, the [N II] line seems to peak further from the central star than the [O III] line.^[7] The [N II] emission in the knots implies shock-excitation, whereas the [O III] emissions are more like irradiation. The kinematical structure of the faint bipolar lobes remains completely unknown, but the lobes may have an inclination of ≤10° and a polar expansion velocity of ~150 kms-1, resulting in a lower-limit expansion age of ≤1100 yr. The high abundance of He/H and N/O ratios of the bright inner reigons of Hu 1-2 suggest it is a Type I PN, though analysis found abundances of α elements.^[8] Hu 1-2 could be a halo PN, but this is unconfirmed.^[9] The nebula is enriched in α elements, especially hydrogen and helium.^[10][11]

The NW structure/knot shows [O II]/[O III] and He II/Hα ratios than those typically seen in the low-ionization structures and outflows of other PNe.^[11]

The type I nature of the nebula indicates that the star descended from a massive intermediate-mass progenitor star.^[12] Alternatively, the abundances of α elements may be a result of a formation of a massive PN progenitor from metal-poor materials.^[13]