Helix Nebula

About Helix Nebula

The Helix Nebula, also known as The helix or NGC 7293, is a large planetary nebula (PN) in the sky and is placed the zodiac constellation of Aquarius. Discovered by Karl Ludwig Harding, probably before 1824, this notably object is one of the closest of all the bright planetary nebulae to the Earth. The estimated distance is about 215 parsec[s] or 700 light-years from us.. It is similar in appearance to the Ring Nebula, whose size, age, and physical characteristics to the another planetary nebula, Dumbbell Nebula, varying only in its relative proximity and the appearance from the equatorial viewing angle. The Helix has often been referred to as the Eye of God on the Internet, since about 2003. The Helix Nebula was also featured in the 2004 Battlestar Galactica TV series.

The Helix Nebula is an example of a planetary nebula, or planetary formed at the end of the star's evolution. Outer gases from the star into the surrounding space appear from our vantage point as if we are looking down a helix structure. The remnant central stellar core, known as a planetary nebula nucleus or PNN, is destined to become a white dwarf star. The observed glow of the central star is so energetic that it causes the previously expelled gases to brightly fluoresce.

The Helix Nebula in the constellation of Aquarius lies about 700 light-years away, spanning in size about 0.8 [[parsecs or 2.5 light-years. Recent imagess by the [[Hubble Space Telescope] of Helix nebula are a composite of newly released images from the ACS instrument and the wide-angle images from the Mosaic Camera on the WIYN 0.9-metre Telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory.