Eye of God II
The “ Eye of God” or The Helix Nebula (NGC 7293) is a planetary nebula located in the constellation Aquarius, at about 650 light years from the Earth. Discovered by Karl Ludwig Harding in the early 19th century, Helix is one of the closest of all the bright planetary nebulae. The central star of the Nebula, a white dwarf remnant of the star that exploded about 10,000–12,000 years ago, gives the resemblance of an eye. When a star like the Sun runs out of fuel, it expands and its outer layers puff off, and then the core of the star shrinks. This phase is known as a "planetary nebula," and astronomers expect our Sun will experience this in about 5 billion years. The blue-green glow in the centre of the Helix comes from oxygen atoms shining under effects of the intense ultraviolet radiation of the 120 000 degree Celsius central star and the hot gas. Further out from the star and beyond the ring of knots, the red colour from hydrogen and nitrogen is more prominent.
Eye of God II
The “ Eye of God” or The Helix Nebula (NGC 7293) is a planetary nebula located in the constellation Aquarius, at about 650 light years from the Earth. Discovered by Karl Ludwig Harding in the early 19th century, Helix is one of the closest of all the bright planetary nebulae. The central star of the Nebula, a white dwarf remnant of the star that exploded about 10,000–12,000 years ago, gives the resemblance of an eye. When a star like the Sun runs out of fuel, it expands and its outer layers puff off, and then the core of the star shrinks. This phase is known as a "planetary nebula," and astronomers expect our Sun will experience this in about 5 billion years. The blue-green glow in the centre of the Helix comes from oxygen atoms shining under effects of the intense ultraviolet radiation of the 120 000 degree Celsius central star and the hot gas. Further out from the star and beyond the ring of knots, the red colour from hydrogen and nitrogen is more prominent.