... The Seagull Nebula . ... A broad expanse of glowing gas and dust presents a bird-like visage to astronomers from planet Earth, suggesting its popular moniker - The Seagull Nebula. This portrait of the cosmic bird covers a 1.6 degree wide swath across the plane of the Milky Way, near the direction of Sirius, alpha star of the constellation Canis Major. NGC 7293: The Helix Nebula . ... A mere seven hundred light years from Earth, in the constellation Aquarius, a sun-like star is dying. ...