It is almost as if the universe was looking back at us in this Spitzer Space Telescope image. The Helix nebula is about 650 light years away. NASA's
Jet Propulsion Laboratory provides more details:
A dying star is throwing a cosmic tantrum in this combined image from
NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope and the Galaxy Evolution Explorer
(GALEX), which NASA has lent to the California Institute of Technology
in Pasadena. In death, the star's dusty outer layers are unraveling into
space, glowing from the intense ultraviolet radiation being pumped out
by the hot stellar core.
This object, called the Helix nebula,
lies 650 light-years away, in the constellation of Aquarius. Also known
by the catalog number NGC 7293, it is a typical example of a class of
objects called planetary nebulae. Discovered in the 18th century, these
cosmic works of art were erroneously named for their resemblance to
gas-giant planets.
And should you want more images from Spitzer to view throughout the year, check out this
digital calendar. NASA is celebrating the 12th anniversary of the space telescope.
