![Messier 27 The Dumbell planetary nebula [Robotic, NM] | by john.purvis](http://live.staticflickr.com/929/43003172724_c579a8ce07.jpg)
Messier 27 The Dumbell planetary nebula [Robotic, NM]
A planetary nebula in the constellation Vulepecula.
The central star has shed its outer layers to become a white dwarf star. The intense UV light from the white dwarf makes the layers fluoresce - red-pink for ionised hydrogen and blue for doubly ionised oxygen.
Knowing the rate of expansion of the shells then working backwards, the nebula is about 14600 years old.
Taken with iTelescope T3 - 40 x 360s exposures.
Takahashi 150/1095mm refractor
SBIG CCD camera 2048 x 2048 pixels.
Messier 27 The Dumbell planetary nebula [Robotic, NM]
A planetary nebula in the constellation Vulepecula.
The central star has shed its outer layers to become a white dwarf star. The intense UV light from the white dwarf makes the layers fluoresce - red-pink for ionised hydrogen and blue for doubly ionised oxygen.
Knowing the rate of expansion of the shells then working backwards, the nebula is about 14600 years old.
Taken with iTelescope T3 - 40 x 360s exposures.
Takahashi 150/1095mm refractor
SBIG CCD camera 2048 x 2048 pixels.