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Credit & Copyright: Johannes Schedler
(Panther
Observatory)
Explanation:
The Cat's Eye Nebula
(NGC 6543) is one of the best known
planetary
nebulae in the sky.
Its more familiar outlines are seen in the
the brighter central region of
this impressive wide-angle view.
But the composite image also combines many
short and long exposures to reveal the nebula's
extremely faint halo.
At an estimated distance of 3,000 light-years, the
faint outer halo is over 5 light-years across.
Planetary
nebulae have long been appreciated as a final phase
in the life of a sun-like star.
More recently, some planetary nebulae are
found to have
halos like this one, likely formed of material shrugged off during
earlier episodes in the star's evolution.
While the planetary
nebula phase is thought to last for around 10,000 years,
astronomers estimate the age of the outer filamentary portions
of this halo to be 50,000 to 90,000 years.
Visible on the right, some 50 million light-years beyond
the Cat's Eye, lies spiral galaxy
NGC 6552.
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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 - halo
Publications with words: planetary nebula - halo
See also:
- APOD: 2024 February 12 Á HFG1 & Abell 6: Planetary Nebulae
- Circling the Sun
- APOD: 2023 December 24 Á NGC 2440: Cocoon of a New White Dwarf
- APOD: 2023 December 20 Á Ice Halos over Bavaria
- Circular Sun Halo
- APOD: 2023 October 3 Á MyCn 18: The Engraved Hourglass Planetary Nebula
- NGC 1360: The Robin's Egg Nebula