VISTAs look at the Helix Nebula

Eso_eso1205a_3000
eso_eso1205a January 19, 2012

Creator: European Southern Observatory, Garching bei München, Germany

Image Source: http://www.eso.org/public/images/eso1205a/

ESO's Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA) has captured this unusual view of the Helix Nebula (NGC 7293), a planetary nebula located 700 light-years away. The coloured picture was created from images taken through Y, J and K infrared filters. While bringing to light a rich background of stars and galaxies, the telescope's infrared vision also reveals strands of cold nebular gas that are mostly obscured in visible images of the Helix.

Image Use Policy: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.

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Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
Helix Nebula NGC 7293
Subject - Milky Way
Nebula » Type » Planetary

Position Details

Eso_eso1205a_3000
Position (ICRS)
RA = 22h 29m 38.6s
DEC = -20° 50’ 14.0”
Orientation
North is up
Field of View
37.5 x 37.5 arcminutes
Constellation
Aquarius

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Arrow_left_blue Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VIRCAM) Infrared (Y) -
Arrow_left_cyan Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VIRCAM) Infrared (Pseudocolour (J+Y)) -
Arrow_left_orange Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VIRCAM) Infrared (K) -
Arrow_left_red Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VIRCAM) Infrared (J) -
Arrow_left_red Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VIRCAM) Infrared (K) -
Spectrum_xray1
Arrow_top_blue
Arrow_top_cyan
Arrow_top_orange
Arrow_top_red
Arrow_top_red