|
Credit & Copyright: Robert Gendler
Explanation:
It is a familiar sight to sky enthusiasts with even a small telescope.
There is much more to the
Ring Nebula (M57),
however, than can be seen through a
small telescope.
The easily visible
central ring is about one
light-year across,
but this remarkably deep exposure -
a collaborative effort combining data from three different large telescopes -
explores
the looping filaments
of glowing gas extending much farther from the nebula's
central star.
This remarkable
composite image includes narrowband hydrogen image,
visible light emission, and
infrared light emission.
Of course, in this
well-studied
example of a
planetary nebula,
the glowing material does not come from planets.
Instead, the
gaseous shroud represents outer layers
expelled from a dying, sun-like star.
The Ring Nebula is about 2,000 light-years away toward the musical
constellation
Lyra.
Follow APOD on:
Facebook,
Google Plus,
or
Twitter
|
January February March April May June July August September October November December |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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: Ring Nebula - deep field
Publications with words: Ring Nebula - deep field
See also: