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Credit & Copyright: George Chatzifrantzis
Explanation:
Is the Helix Nebula looking at you?
No, not in any biological sense, but it does look quite like an eye.
The Helix Nebula is so named because it also appears
that you are looking down the axis of a
helix.
In actuality, it is now understood to have a surprisingly
complex geometry, including radial filaments and extended
outer loops.
The Helix Nebula (aka NGC 7293) is one of brightest and closest examples of a
planetary nebula, a gas
cloud created at the end of the life of a Sun-like star.
The remnant central stellar core, destined to become a
white dwarf star, glows in light so
energetic
it causes the previously expelled gas to
fluoresce.
The featured picture,
taken in red, green, and blue but
highlighted by light emitted primarily by
hydrogen was created from 12 hours of exposure
through a personal telescope located in
Greece.
A close-up of the
inner edge of the Helix Nebula
shows complex gas knots the origin of which are
still being researched.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: NGC 7293 - Helix Nebula - planetary nebula
Publications with words: NGC 7293 - Helix Nebula - planetary nebula
See also:
- APOD: 2025 July 13 Á Planetary Nebula Mz3: The Ant Nebula
- APOD: 2025 June 9 Á Between Scylla and Charybdis: A Double Cosmic Discovery
- APOD: 2025 May 14 Á NGC 1360: The Robins Egg Nebula
- APOD: 2025 April 27 Á IC 418: The Spirograph Nebula
- APOD: 2025 April 15 Á Planetary Nebula NGC 1514 from Webb
- Planetary Nebula Abell 7
- The Medusa Nebula