Celestial hemisphere:  Northern  ·  Constellation: Cygnus (Cyg)
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Motch-Werner-Pakull 1. Methuselah Nebula, Vlad Onoprienko
Motch-Werner-Pakull 1. Methuselah Nebula
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Motch-Werner-Pakull 1. Methuselah Nebula

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Motch-Werner-Pakull 1. Methuselah Nebula, Vlad Onoprienko
Motch-Werner-Pakull 1. Methuselah Nebula
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Motch-Werner-Pakull 1. Methuselah Nebula

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Description

The planetary nebula cataloged as MWP 1 lies some 1,400 light-years away in the northern constellation Cygnus the Swan. One of the largest planetary nebulae known, it spans about 15 light-years. Based on its expansion rate the nebula has an age of 150 thousand years.Actually, the very fact of the existence of MWP1 is a difficult task for scientists, because the typical visibility or lifetime of a planetary nebula is about 10,000 - 20,000 years, after which the ejected gas dissipates below the detection limit and/or the central star cools down and ceases to emit enough ultraviolet light for ionization of the ejected gas shell.As a result, truly ancient MWP1 offers a beautiful challenge to astronomers studying the evolution of its central star.  Enjoy !

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Motch-Werner-Pakull 1. Methuselah Nebula, Vlad Onoprienko