Astronomy Picture of the Day

Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

December 30, 1997
See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest resolution version available.

NGC 7009: The Saturn Nebula
Credit: B. Balick (U. Washington) et al., WFPC2, HST, NASA

Explanation: The layers of the Saturn Nebula give a complex picture of how this planetary nebula was created. The above picture, taken in April 1996 and released last week, allows a better understanding of the mysterious process that transformed a low-mass star into a white dwarf star. A computer model indicates that the central star of NGC 7009 first expelled the green gas that now appears barrel shaped. This green gas now confines stellar winds flowing from the central star, creating a jet which forms the ansae that appear in red at the tips. Much remains unknown, including why the gas has not become turbulent.

Tomorrow's picture: NGC 5307: A Symmetric Planetary Nebula

< Archive | Index | Search | Calendar | Glossary | Education | About APOD >

Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (USRA)
NASA Technical Rep.: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA/ GSFC
&: Michigan Tech. U.