The Helix Nebula*

Eso_eso0907a_1024

eso_eso0907a February 25th, 2009

Credit: ESO

This colour-composite image of the Helix Nebula (NGC 7293) was created from images obtained using the Wide Field Imager (WFI), an astronomical camera attached to the 2.2-metre Max-Planck Society/ESO telescope at the La Silla observatory in Chile. The blue-green glow in the centre of the Helix comes from oxygen atoms shining under effects of the intense ultraviolet radiation of the 120 000 degree Celsius central star and the hot gas. Further out from the star and beyond the ring of knots, the red colour from hydrogen and nitrogen is more prominent. A careful look at the central part of this object reveals not only the knots, but also many remote galaxies seen right through the thinly spread glowing gas.This image was created from images through blue, green and red filters and the total exposure times were 12 minutes, 9 minutes and 7 minutes respectively. This image is available as a mounted image in the ESOshop. #L

Provider: European Southern Observatory

Image Source: https://www.eso.org/public/images/eso0907a/

Curator: European Southern Observatory, Garching bei München, None, Germany

Image Use Policy: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
Helix Nebula NGC 7293
Subject - Milky Way
Nebula > Type > Planetary
Eso_eso0907a_128
 

Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 22h 29m 38.6s
DEC = -20° 50’ 13.8”
Orientation
North is 0.1° CCW
Field of View
28.0 x 25.9 arcminutes
Constellation
Aquarius

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Red MPG-2.2m (WFI) Optical (R) -
Green MPG-2.2m (WFI) Optical (V) -
Cyan MPG-2.2m (WFI) Optical (B) -
Eso_eso0907a_1280
×
ID
eso0907a
Subject Category
B.4.1.3  
Subject Name
Helix Nebula, NGC 7293
Credits
ESO
Release Date
2009-02-25T00:00:00
Lightyears
Redshift
Reference Url
https://www.eso.org/public/images/eso0907a/
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Distance Notes
Facility
MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope, MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope, MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope
Instrument
WFI, WFI, WFI
Color Assignment
Red, Green, Cyan
Band
Optical, Optical, Optical
Bandpass
R, V, B
Central Wavelength
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
J2000
Reference Value
337.410689, -20.837171
Reference Dimension
7059.0, 6535.0
Reference Pixel
3523.97483069, 3085.49033593
Scale
-6.615929e-05, 6.615929e-05
Rotation
0.12510794634
Coordinate System Projection:
TAN
Quality
Full
FITS Header
Notes
Creator (Curator)
European Southern Observatory
URL
http://www.eso.org/
Name
Email
Telephone
Address
Karl-Schwarzschild-Strasse 2
City
Garching bei München
State/Province
None
Postal Code
D-85748
Country
Germany
Rights
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Publisher
European Southern Observatory
Publisher ID
eso
Resource ID
eso0907a
Metadata Date
2009-02-24T16:58:27+01:00
Metadata Version
1.1
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Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

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There is no distance meta data in this image.

 

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