Celestial hemisphere:  Southern  ·  Constellation: Canis Major (CMa)  ·  Contains:  NGC 2359  ·  Sh2-298
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Thor's Helmet, TWFowler
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Thor's Helmet

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Thor's Helmet, TWFowler
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Thor's Helmet

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Description

NGC 2359, also known as Thor's Helmet, is a cloud of gas and dust located in the constellation Canis Major, approximately 11,000 light-years from Earth. It is an emission nebula so emits light due to the ionization of gas by radiation from nearby hot stars. The central bubble is created by the powerful stellar wind of the central star HD 56925, which is estimated to be about 100 times more massive than the Sun. The filaments and pillars are thought to be formed by shock waves caused by the interaction of the stellar wind with the surrounding material. HD 56925 is a Wolf-Rayet star, designated WR 7.
Thor's Helmet was named and first cataloged by William Herschel in 1785.

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