Messier 57 - The Ring Nebula
The Ring Nebula is found in the constellation Lyra and is the demise of a sun-like star. Residing at a distance of 2,300 light years, the expanding shell of ionized gas around the exposed stellar core covers an diameter of about 2.6 light years. This star is transitioning into a compact white dwarf. The exposed stellar core is no longer undergoing fusion. Intense ultraviolet light emit from the hot stellar core ionizes its own shell. Image Credit: Scott MacNeill, Frosty Drew Observatory
Gallery: Planetary Nebulae
- Author:
- Scott MacNeill
- Entry Date:
- Jul 10, 2013
- Published Under:
- Scott MacNeill's Media