images

Planetary nebula Helix in Aquarius

by

R.Gendler/Novapix

Reference

a-nep72-93003

Date

2007-01-22

The Helix nebula is the largest planetary nebula in the sky subtending an angle the size of half the full moon, and can easily be seen even in small binoculars despite it's low surface brightness if observed under a dark and transparent sky. Sometimes called the "Sunflower" nebula, it is a shell of expanding gas blown off by the magnitude 13.3 star at it's center, which is extremely hot.