18022025-NGC2359_Thor's

⚡️ Thor’s Helmet – The Celestial Warrior’s Helm 🌌🔥

 

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Behold NGC 2359, better known as Thor’s Helmet Nebula, a cosmic masterpiece sculpted by stellar winds and radiation! This emission nebula, resembling the mythical helmet of the Norse god Thor, lies in the constellation Canis Major, about 11,960 light-years from Earth.

 

📍 Constellation: Canis Major 🐕

✨ Distance from Earth: ~11,960 light-years

📏 Size: ~30 light-years across

💨 Central Star: Wolf-Rayet WR 7 (an extremely hot, massive star on the brink of a supernova)

 

💡 Did you know?

 

Thor’s Helmet is shaped by the intense stellar winds from WR 7, which move at millions of km/h, sweeping up the surrounding gas into this spectacular bubble-like structure.

The nebula is a mix of ionized hydrogen (red), oxygen (blue), and sulfur emissions, creating its stunning glow.

Wolf-Rayet stars are rare and extremely massive, with lifespans of just a few million years before exploding as supernovae.

A celestial storm worthy of the gods! Does this nebula remind you of Thor’s Helmet? ⚡️🔵

 

Lights: 111x300" (HSO)

Telescope: Planewave CDK24

Camera: QHY 600M

Filters: Astrodon

Processed: Pixinsight

Date: 19/01/2025

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