Helix Nebula Model

Two Views of a Nebula

The top composite image is a view of the colorful Helix Nebula taken with the Advanced Camera for Surveys aboard NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. The object is so large that both telescopes were needed to capture a complete...

Helix Nebula As Seen By Hubble and the Cerro Toledo Inter-American Observatory

Helix Nebula Model

The Helix Nebula: a Gaseous Envelope Expelled By a Dying Star

This composite image is a view of the colorful Helix Nebula taken with the Advanced Camera for Surveys aboard NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and the Mosaic II Camera on the 4-meter telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. The object is so large that both...

Helix Nebula with Annotated Features

HubbleMinute - Helix Nebula: A New Twist

A Video News Release explains how the shapes of planetary nebulae are deceiving. Astronomers combined highly detailed images of the Helix Nebula from the Hubble Space Telescope's Advanced Camera for Surveys, with images from the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile....

Astronomer Interview: Margaret Meixner (STScI)

An interview with Margaret Meixner, an astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Md. She explains how a planetary nebula is formed.

Astronomer Interview: Peter McCullogh (STScI)

An interview with Peter McCullough, scientist at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Md. He explains the surprise found in the data, which suggests that the Helix Nebula consists of two gas disks nearly perpendicular to each other.

Hubble Space Telescope Animation (Aft, Half Turn)

Animation of the Hubble Space Telescope.

Planetary Nebula Animation

Animation of a planetary nebula being formed.