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> NGC 1360, the diffuse planetary nebula in Fornax

NGC 1360, the diffuse planetary nebula in Fornax

author: Anglo-Australian Observatory/David Malin Images/Novapix

reference: a-nep13-60001

Image Size 300 DPI: 40 * 51 cm

Planetary nebulae usually have well-defined boundaries, sometimes even a shell-like structure. For reasons that are not understood, NGC 1360 defies all these conventions, yet its colour still clearly identifies it as a planetary nebula. The green hue is oxygen, excited by the hot central star, and to the north-east of the nebula is a faint red smudge, probably traces of material ejected before the star became a true planetary nebula.  

Keywords for this photo:

AAO - ASTRONOMY - DWARF - EVOLUTION - FORNAX - NEBULA - NGC 1360 - PLANETARY NEBULA - POSTER - SIDING SPRING - SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE - STAR - WHITE DWARF -