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Credit & Copyright: R. O'Dell and K. Handron
(Rice University),
NASA
Explanation:
While exploring the inner edge of the
Helix Nebula with the
Hubble Space Telescope's
Wide Field Planetary Camera 2,
astronomers were able to produce
this striking image - rich in details of an exotic environment.
This planetary nebula, created near the final phase of a sun-like
star's life, is composed of
tenuous shells of gas ejected by the
hot central star.
The atoms of gas, stripped of
electrons by
ultraviolet radiation from the central star,
radiate light at characteristic energies allowing specific
chemical elements to be identified.
In this image, emission from
nitrogen is represented as red,
hydrogen emission as green, and
oxygen as blue.
The inner edge of the
Helix Nebula, also known as NGC 7293, is in the direction toward
the central star, which is toward the bottom right.
Clearly visible near the inner edge are finger shaped
cometary knots.
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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: Helix Nebula - planetary nebula - NGC 7293
Publications with words: Helix Nebula - planetary nebula - NGC 7293
See also:
- APOD: 2025 August 31 Á NGC 7027: The Pillow Planetary Nebula
- APOD: 2025 August 22 Á A Tale of Two Nebulae
- APOD: 2025 August 5 Á NGC 6072: A Complex Planetary Nebula from Webb
- APOD: 2025 July 29 Á A Helix Nebula Deep Field
- APOD: 2025 July 13 Á Planetary Nebula Mz3: The Ant Nebula
- APOD: 2025 June 9 Á Between Scylla and Charybdis: A Double Cosmic Discovery
- APOD: 2025 May 14 Á NGC 1360: The Robins Egg Nebula