Astronomy Picture of the Day
    


The Helix Nebula from CFHT
<< Yesterday 28.08.2000 Tomorrow >>
The Helix Nebula from CFHT
Credit & Copyright: J.-C. Cuillandre (CFHT Staff), CFH12K CCD Camera, CFHT
Explanation: One day our Sun may look like this. The Helix Nebula is the closest example of a planetary nebula created at the end of the life of a Sun-like star. The outer gasses of the star expelled into space appear from our vantage point as if we are looking down a helix. 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 Helix Nebula, given a technical designation of NGC 7293, lies 450 light-years away towards the constellation of Aquarius and spans 1.5 light-years. The above image was taken with the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) located atop a dormant volcano in Hawaii, USA. A close-up of the inner edge of the Helix Nebula shows unusual gas knots of unknown origin.

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
 < August 2000  >
Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su

123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031


Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (USRA)
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: nebula - planetary nebula - Helix Nebula - CFHT Telescope
Publications with words: nebula - planetary nebula - Helix Nebula - CFHT Telescope
See also:
All publications on this topic >>