Helix Nebula NGC 7293 in the constellation Aquarius

At a distance of around 650 light years, the Helix Nebula is one of the closest planetary nebula to the sun. The blueish central star ejected a part of its gases into space around 10,000 years ago and causes these gases to glow with its intense UV light. Inside the nebula, the blue-green glow of excited oxygen dominates, while the outer part of the nebula glows in a bright red due to ionized hydrogen.

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Date:01.10.2019
Optics: Astro Physics EDF
Aperture: 130 mm
Focal Length: 870 mm
Camera: ZWO ASI 071 MC
Exposure: 24 x 600 s
Location: Chamaeleon Observatory, Onjala Lodge, Namibia
Processing: Nebulosity, Regim, Photoshop
Diameter:3.5 light years
Distance:650 light years
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image field in the sky