M27 - The Dumbbell Nebula by Stegy
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Description
The Dumbbell Nebula or M27 is around 1200 light years away. This means that you are seeing the object as it appeared around the year 800 AD!
The center of the Nebula contains a white dwarf star which has run out of its nuclear fuel. It then expelled its outer layers into space. The glow of the nebula is generated by the atoms of the expelled layers as they are excited by the intense ultraviolet light generated by its central dying star.
This will be the fate of our own Sun in about 5 billion years, vapourizing our planet Earth in the process. Perhaps this star had an Earth-like planet with intelligent inhabitants?
The image was taken on July 26, 2008 with 2hours, 15 minutes total exposure time. Telescope: Celestron 11" SCT. Camera: SBIG STL11000M.
Comments (7)
mbz2662
Totally amazing capture...
PSDuck
GREAT photo! And thanks for the info. It makes for much more depth, not that the pic needs it.
mtc
A superb photo . colors are very beautiful. Congrats.
Asmoday
great picture... i´m always so scared about the inmensity of space... nicely done!!
phothomaniac
A really impressing capture.
drifterlee
That's a fantastic shot, Stegy!
jared99
Superb image -- great info too!