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Астронет: Астрономическая картинка дня Туманность MWP1 "Винная бутыль" http://variable-stars.ru/db/msg/1247686/eng |
Credit & Copyright: Don Goldman
Explanation:
The lovely, symmetric planetary nebula
cataloged as MWP1 lies some
4,500 light-years away in the northern constellation
Cygnus the Swan.
One of the largest
planetary nebulae
known, it spans about 15
light-years.
Based on its expansion rate
the nebula has an age of 150 thousand years,
a cosmic blink of an eye
in the 10 billion year life of a sun-like star.
But planetary nebulae represent a very brief final phase in
in stellar
evolution, as the nebula's central star shrugs off
its outer layers to become a hot white dwarf.
In fact, planetary nebulae ordinarily only last
for 10 to 20 thousand years.
As a result, truly
ancient MWP1
offers a beautiful
challenge to astronomers studying the evolution of its central star.
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.