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Astronomy Picture of the Day - The Helix Nebula from CFHT
APOD.NASA.gov ^ | 25 Nov, 2020 | Image Credit & Copyright: CFHT, Coelum, MegaCam, J.-C. Cuillandre (CFHT) & G. A. Anselmi (Coelum)

Posted on 11/24/2020 3:29:39 PM PST by MtnClimber

Explanation: Will our Sun look like this one day? The Helix Nebula 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 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 about 700 light-years away towards the constellation of the Water Bearer (Aquarius) and spans about 2.5 light-years. The featured picture 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 complex gas knots of unknown origin.


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: nasa
To be added or removed from the Astronomy Picture of the Day ping list please send me a request via "Private Reply" (Mail).

For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then zoom by moving the magnifying glass over an area and then clicking. The side bars will move the zoomed area over the photograph.

1 posted on 11/24/2020 3:29:39 PM PST by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

2 posted on 11/24/2020 3:30:12 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber
Inner edge of the Helix Nebula


3 posted on 11/24/2020 3:30:40 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: 21stCenturion; 21twelve; 4everontheRight; abb; AFB-XYZ; America_Right; Art in Idaho; AZ .44 MAG; ...
Pinging the APOD list.

🪐 🌟 🌌


4 posted on 11/24/2020 3:31:25 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

Beautiful!


5 posted on 11/24/2020 4:09:10 PM PST by RushIsMyTeddyBear
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To: MtnClimber

Space jellyfish.


6 posted on 11/24/2020 4:58:05 PM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer”)
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To: MtnClimber

To me, this looks like King Shaka (The Great Bull Elephant) of the Zulu Tribe in Africa telling the Royal impalers that they’ve got some work to do.


7 posted on 11/24/2020 5:01:00 PM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer”)
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To: blueunicorn6

I can’t find a dog or a cat hidden in the links in the explanation. That is probably why I can’t find anything that looks like a cheeseburger in the photo either.


8 posted on 11/24/2020 5:06:10 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

More of a Turnip omelet.


9 posted on 11/24/2020 5:16:02 PM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer”)
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To: MtnClimber

“Eye” see it.


10 posted on 11/24/2020 6:06:43 PM PST by Redcitizen
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