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Credit & Copyright: Jim Misti
(Misti
Mountain Observatory)
Explanation:
Ghostly in appearance,
Abell 39
is a remarkably simple, spherical nebula about
five light-years across.
Well within our own
Milky
Way galaxy, the cosmic
sphere
is roughly 7,000 light-years distant toward the constellation
Hercules.
Abell 39 is a planetary nebula, formed as a
once sun-like star's outer atmosphere was expelled
over a period of thousands of years.
Still visible, the nebula's central star
is evolving into a hot white dwarf.
Although faint, the nebula's simple geometry has
proven to be
a boon
to
astronomers
exploring the chemical abundances and
life cycles of stars.
In
this deep image
recorded under dark night skies,
very distant
background
galaxies can be found --
some visible right through the nebula itself.
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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: planetary nebula - stellar evolution - white dwarf - Abell 39
Publications with words: planetary nebula - stellar evolution - white dwarf - Abell 39
See also:
- APOD: 2024 February 12 Á HFG1 & Abell 6: Planetary Nebulae
- APOD: 2023 December 24 Á NGC 2440: Cocoon of a New White Dwarf
- APOD: 2023 October 3 Á MyCn 18: The Engraved Hourglass Planetary Nebula
- NGC 1360: The Robin's Egg Nebula
- APOD: 2023 April 16 Á M2 9: Wings of a Butterfly Nebula
- The Medusa Nebula
- Jones Emberson 1