M2-9: Wings of a Butterfly Nebula - December 23rd, 1997.

eagle nebula

butterfly nebula

helix nebula (detail)

veil nebula

multiwavelength andromeda

canes venatici galaxies

coronal loops on the sun

The very faint planetary nebula, known as Abell 7, is about 1,800 light-years from Earth. It is located just south of Orion toward the constellation Lepus, The Hare. Posing against the Milky Way stars, its simple spherical shape about 8 light-years in diameter is revealed in this deep telescopic image. The beautiful and complex shapes seen within the cosmic cloud are enhanced by emission from hydrogen and oxygen atoms, otherwise it would be much too faint to be appreciated by the eye. A planetary nebula represents a very brief final phase in stellar evolution that our Sun will experience 5 billion years hence, as the nebula's central, once sun-like star loses its outer layers. Abell 7 is estimated to be 20,000 years old, but its central star, seen here as a fading white dwarf, is about 10 billion years old.

2006 August 3

M27: Not A Comet

Credit & Copyright: Rick Krejci (RicksAstro Astrophotography)

Explanation: While searching the skies above 18th century France for comets, astronomer Charles Messier diligently recorded this object as number 27 on his list of things which are definitely not comets. So what is it? Well, 20th century astronomers would classify it as a Planetary Nebula ... but it's not a planet either, even though it may appear round and planet-like in a small telescope. Messier 27 (M27) is now known to be an excellent example of a gaseous emission nebula created as a sun-like star runs out of nuclear fuel in its core. The nebula forms as the star's outer layers are expelled into space, with a visible glow generated by atoms excited by the dying star's intense but invisible ultraviolet light. Known by the popular name of the Dumbbell Nebula, the beautifully symmetric interstellar gas cloud is about 1,200 light-years away in the constellation Vulpecula. This intriguing color composite view was recorded through narrow band filters sensitive to emission from hydrogen atoms (shown in red) and oxygen atoms (shown in blue/green).

Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (USRA)

NASA Official: Jay Norris.

A service of: EUD at NASA / GSFC