What created
the unusual halo around the Cat’s Eye Nebula? No one is sure. What is sure is
that the Cat’s Eye Nebula (NGC 6543) is one of the best known planetary nebulae on the sky. Although haunting symmetries are
seen in the bright central region, this image was taken to feature its intricately structured
outer halo, which spans over three light-years across. Planetary nebulae have long been appreciated as a final phase in the life of a Sun-like star. Only recently however, have
some planetaries been found to have
expansive halos, likely formed
from material shrugged off during earlier puzzling episodes in the star’s evolution. While the planetary nebula phase is thought to last for around 10,000 years, astronomers
estimate the age of the outer filamentary
portions of the Cat’s Eye Nebula‘s halo to be 50,000 to 90,000 years.
Image & info via APOD
Image Credit & Copyright: Taavi Niittee (Tõrva Astronomy Club)
Source: Halo of the
Cat’s Eye – Scents of Science
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