NGC7293, The Helix Nebula on 2023-08-15
This photo was taken in Kyle, Texas, under Bortle 5.9 skies, through a 6-inch f/4 Telescope, on a Sky-Watcher EQ6-R mount, with a ZWO ASI533MC PRO color camera. The total image acquisition time is: 04 hrs 39 min 00 sec. Full size files are very large and can take a minute to download. After downloading the full-size picture to zoom in or out on a computer hold down the Ctrl key and use the scroll mouse button, or you can press the + or - key.
The Helix Nebula (also known as
NGC 7293 or Caldwell 63) is a planetary nebula located in the constellation
Aquarius. Its distance is approximately 655 light-years. It is similar in
appearance to the Cat's Eye Nebula and the Ring Nebula, whose size, age, and
physical characteristics are similar to the Dumbbell Nebula, varying only in its
relative proximity and the appearance from the equatorial viewing angle. The
Helix Nebula is an example of a planetary nebula, formed by an intermediate to
low-mass star, which sheds its outer layers near the end of its life. Gases from
the star in the surrounding space appear, from our vantage point, as if we are
looking down a helix structure. The remnant central stellar core, known as the
central star of the planetary nebula, is destined to become a white dwarf star.
The observed glow of the central star is so energetic that it causes the
previously expelled gases to brightly fluoresce. In space it spans a distance of
2.5 light-years. Its age is estimated to be about 10,600 years, based on the
ratio of its size to its measured expansion rate of 31 km per second.