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Астронет: Астрономическая картинка дня Исследование Кольца http://variable-stars.ru/db/msg/1229595/eng |
Credit & Copyright: Astro-Cooperation -
Stefan Heutz/Wolfgang Ries
Explanation:
A familiar sight for northern
hemisphere astronomers, the
Ring
Nebula (M57) is
some 2,000 light-years away in the musical
constellation
Lyra.
The central ring is about one light-year across, but
this remarkably deep exposure - a collaborative effort combining data
from two different telescopes -
explores
the looping filaments
of glowing gas extending much farther from the nebula's
central star.
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.
This composite image
includes over 16 hours of narrow-band data
intended to recorded the red emission from hydrogen atoms,
but the pronounced blue/green color is due to emission from
oxygen atoms at higher temperatures within the ring.
The much more distant spiral
galaxy IC 1296 is also visible at the upper right.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.