Helix Nebula
May 27, 2012
Ultraviolet image of the planetary nebula NGC 7293 also known as the Helix Nebula. It is the nearest example of what happens to a star, like our own Sun, as it approaches the end of its life when it runs out of fuel, expels gas outward and evolves into a much hotter, smaller and denser white dwarf star.
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSC
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSC
Topics:
Aquarius constellation, Planetary nebulae, Space plasmas, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Stellar evolution, NGC, Nebulae, Carina Nebula, Planetary nebula, Helix Nebula, Nebula, Star
