Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Perseus (Per)  ·  Contains:  HD28772  ·  HD29093  ·  HD29203  ·  HD29818  ·  HD29900  ·  HD29997  ·  LBN 742  ·  LBN 744  ·  PK158+00.1  ·  Sh2-216
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SH2-216 Planetary Nebula, rdhand
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SH2-216 Planetary Nebula

Getting plate-solving status, please wait...
SH2-216 Planetary Nebula, rdhand
Powered byPixInsight

SH2-216 Planetary Nebula

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Description

Photos were taken on 19, 20 and 24th of Oct 2022.

Sh2-216 is the largest planetary nebula at about 3X as wide as the full moon as seen from earth.  The nebula is old for a planetary nebula at 500,000 years. This type of nebula fades away as the ball of gas spreads.  The old age explains its size and dimness. It's also the second closest planetary nebula to Earth at about 400 light-years distant. The planetary nebula is very diffuse on one side with only a hint showing in the photo.  Planetary nebulae are formed when stars that are too small to go supernova throw off shells of gas in their dying stages.  It leaves behind a small dense white dwarf star.  Planetary nebulae have nothing to do with planets.  Early astronomers mis-named them because of the circular shape.  This photo took 13.6 hours of exposure time.

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SH2-216 Planetary Nebula, rdhand

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Cloudy Nights

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Planetary Nebula