Pan over the Helix Nebula

Pan over the colour-composite image of the Helix Nebula (NGC 7293), created from images obtained using the 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.

Read more about it on eso0907.

Credit:

ESO

About the Video

Id:eso0907b
Release date:25 February 2009
Related releases:eso0907
Duration:36 s
Frame rate:30 fps

About the Object

Category:Nebulae

HD


Large

Large QT
7.2 MB

Medium

Video Podcast
5.2 MB
Medium MPEG-1
5.6 MB
Medium Flash
6.0 MB

Small

Small Flash
2.5 MB
Small QT
1.8 MB

For Broadcasters