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Astronomy Picture of the Day - A Helix Nebula Deep Field
NASA ^ | 29 Jul, 2025 | Image Credit & Copyright: George Chatzifrantzis

Posted on 07/29/2025 11:56:23 AM PDT by MtnClimber

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.


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; nasa
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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.

1 posted on 07/29/2025 11:56:23 AM PDT by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

2 posted on 07/29/2025 11:57:22 AM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: 21stCenturion; 21twelve; 4everontheRight; A Navy Vet; A_perfect_lady; abb; AFB-XYZ; AFPhys; ...
Pinging the APOD list

🪐 🌟 🌌 šŸ”

3 posted on 07/29/2025 11:58:28 AM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

Cool picture


4 posted on 07/29/2025 12:01:47 PM PDT by Fai Mao (I used to care, but things have changed ~ Bob Dylan)
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To: MtnClimber

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMrImMedYRo


5 posted on 07/29/2025 12:03:21 PM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: MtnClimber

They really ought to rename that the Eye of Sauron Nebula.


6 posted on 07/29/2025 12:04:47 PM PDT by TigersEye (The Golden Age of MAGA is upon us!)
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To: MtnClimber

I wonder if an Ophthalmologist or Optometrist sees this when looking at our eyes during an exam with the fancy inspection machine ?


7 posted on 07/29/2025 12:09:37 PM PDT by mabarker1 ((Congress- the opposite of PROGRESS!!! I’m a fraud, hypocrite & liar. I'm a member of Congress!! )
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To: MtnClimber

Somehow that makes me think of the 2024 election—a small area of blue surrounded by a lot of red.


8 posted on 07/29/2025 12:58:41 PM PDT by Verginius Rufus
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To: TigersEye
It has been called the Eye Of God…
9 posted on 07/29/2025 2:12:41 PM PDT by telescope115 (I NEED MY SPACE!!! šŸ”­)
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To: telescope115

That makes sense too but it looks rather menacing to me. :)


10 posted on 07/29/2025 2:23:00 PM PDT by TigersEye (The Golden Age of MAGA is upon us!)
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To: MtnClimber

The creepy part is when it blinks...


11 posted on 07/29/2025 4:35:02 PM PDT by minnesota_bound (Making money now. Still want much more.)
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