The Helix Nebula, NGC 7293
This composite picture is a seamless blend of nine ultra-sharp images from the Hubble Space Telescope’s Advanced Camera for Surveys with the wide-field view of the Mosaic Camera on the WIYN 0.9-meter telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory. The image shows a fine web of filamentary “bicycle-spoke” features embedded in the colorful red and blue gas ring, which is one of the nearest planetary nebulae to Earth. One of the largest and most detailed celestial images ever made, the picture was released on May 9, 2003, by the Space Telescope Science Institute and NOAO in honor of Astronomy Day 2003, which took place the following day. The radiant “tie-die” colors of the planetary nebula, located in the constellation Aquarius about 650 light-years distant from Earth, correspond to glowing oxygen (blue) and hydrogen and nitrogen (red).
Credit:NASA, NOAO, ESA, the Hubble Helix Nebula Team, M. Meixner (STScI), and T.A. Rector (NRAO)
About the Image
Id: | noao0307a |
Type: | Observation |
Release date: | May 10, 2003 |
Related releases: | noao0307 |
Related announcements: | noaoann03008 |
Size: | 16000 x 16000 px |
About the Object
Name: | Helix Nebula, NGC 7293 |
Distance: | 650 light years |
Constellation: | Aquarius |
Category: | Nebulae |
Image Formats
Wallpapers
Coordinates
Position (RA): | 22 29 39.82 |
Position (Dec): | -20° 50' 19.81" |
Field of view: | 26.64 x 26.64 arcminutes |
Orientation: | North is 0.4° left of vertical |
Colors & filters
Band | Wave-length | Tele-scope |
---|---|---|
Optical OIII | 502 nm | Hubble Space Telescope ACS |
Optical Olll | 499 nm | WIYN 0.9-meter Telescope Mosaic I |
Optical H-alpha | 658 nm | Hubble Space Telescope ACS |
Optical Ha | 656 nm | WIYN 0.9-meter Telescope Mosaic I |