Astronomy Picture of the Day - NGC 7293: The Helix Nebula

NASA ^ | 24 Oct, 2024 | Image Credit & Copyright: Patrick Winkler

[MtnClimber]

Explanation: A mere seven hundred light years from Earth toward the constellation Aquarius, a star is dying. The once sun-like star's last few thousand years have produced the Helix Nebula. Also known as NGC 7293, the cosmic Helix is a well studied and nearby example of a Planetary Nebula, typical of this final phase of stellar evolution. Combining narrow band data from emission lines of hydrogen atoms in red and oxygen atoms in blue-green hues, this deep image shows tantalizing details of the Helix, including its bright inner region about 3 light-years across. The white dot at the Helix's center is this Planetary Nebula's hot, dying central star. A simple looking nebula at first glance, the Helix is now understood to have a surprisingly complex geometry.

[MtnClimber]

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For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then move the magnifying glass cursor then click to zoom in and click again to zoom out. When zoomed in you can scan by moving the side bars on the bottom and right side of the image.

[MtnClimber]

[MtnClimber]

Pinging the APOD list

🪐 🌟 🌌 🍔

[DannyTN]

[Bullish]

Looks alot like the cat’s eye.

[telescope115]

It’s also called The Eye of God….👁️

[AFB-XYZ]

Did you ever get the feeling that you were being . . . watched? :-)

[MtnClimber]

Being watched?

[Deaf and Discerning]

Looks alot like the cat’s eye.

Like this one?

[BBB333]

Funky.

Cue Rockwell:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQwPrcqtG-M&t=2s

[minnesota_bound]

What is creepy about this Helix Nebula is when it blinks...