Celestial hemisphere:  Southern  ·  Constellation: Aquarius (Aqr)  ·  Contains:  Helix Nebula  ·  NGC 7293
Helix Nebula, Riju Banerjee
Helix Nebula
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Helix Nebula

Acquisition type: Electronically-Assisted Astronomy (EAA, e.g. based on a live video feed)
Helix Nebula, Riju Banerjee
Helix Nebula
Powered byPixInsight

Helix Nebula

Acquisition type: Electronically-Assisted Astronomy (EAA, e.g. based on a live video feed)

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Description

The Helix Nebula (NGC 7293 or Caldwell 63) is a planetary nebula, which is formed by a dying star shedding its outer gaseous layers and leaving behind the tiny, hot, dense core called a white dwarf (seen as the central star in this image). The white dwarf is about the size of Earth, but has a mass close to that of the original star. A teaspoon of a white dwarf would weigh as much as a few elephants! Our own sun will likely meet the same fate in 8 billion years. The nebula is located about 655 light years away.

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Helix Nebula, Riju Banerjee