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Location of Detail and ACS Exposures on Full Image

Location of Detail and ACS Exposures on Full Image

About the Object

  • R.A. Position
    R.A. PositionRight ascension – analogous to longitude – is one component of an object's position.
    22h 29m 48.19s
  • Dec. Position
    Dec. PositionDeclination – analogous to latitude – is one component of an object's position.
    -20° 49' 25.99"
  • Constellation
    ConstellationOne of 88 recognized regions of the celestial sphere in which the object appears.
    Aquarius
  • Distance
    DistanceThe physical distance from Earth to the astronomical object. Distances within our solar system are usually measured in Astronomical Units (AU). Distances between stars are usually measured in light-years. Interstellar distances can also be measured in parsecs.
    About 650 light-years (200 parsecs)
  • Dimensions
    DimensionsThe physical size of the object or the apparent angle it subtends on the sky.
    The image is roughly 27 arcminutes (5.1 light-years or 1.6 parsecs) across.

About the Data

  • Data Description
    Data DescriptionProposal: A description of the observations, their scientific justification, and the links to the data available in the science archive.
    Science Team: The astronomers who planned the observations and analyzed the data. "PI" refers to the Principal Investigator.
    Hubble data have been superimposed onto ground-based data taken by Travis Rector (NRAO) at the 0.9 meter telescope located on Kitt Peak, Tucson, AZ (NOAO/AURA/NSF). The HST data are from proposal 9700. Processed images may be obtained from the Helix MAST web site. The Hubble Helix Team includes: M. Meixner, H.E. Bond, G. Chapman (STScI), Y.-H. Chu (U. Illinois, Urbana-Champaign), P. Cox (Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale, France), W. Crothers, L.M. Frattare, R.Gilliland (STScI), M. Guerrero R. Gruendl (U. Illinois, Urbana-Champaign), F. Hamilton, (STScI), R.Hook (STScI/ESO), P. Huggins (New York Univ.), I. Jordan, C.D. Keyes, A. Koekemoer (STScI), K.Kwitter (Williams College), Z.G. Levay, P.R. McCullough, M. Mutchler, K. Noll (STScI), C.R. O'Dell (Vanderbilt Univ.), N. Panagia, M. Reinhart, M. Robberto, K. Sahu, D. Soderblom, L. Stanghellini, C. Tyler, J. Valenti, A. Welty, R. Williams (STScI).
  • Instrument
    InstrumentThe science instrument used to produce the data.
    HST>ACS/WFC, and KPNO 0.9m>Mosaic I
  • Exposure Dates
    Exposure DatesThe date(s) that the telescope made its observations and the total exposure time.
    November 19, 2002, Exposure time: 4.5 hours (HST) and November 3, 2001, Exposure time: 25 minutes (KPNO)
  • Filters
    FiltersThe camera filters that were used in the science observations.
    ACS/WFC: F502N ([O III]) and F658N (H alpha) Mosaic I: k1009 (H alpha) and k1014 ([O III])
  • Object Name
    Object NameA name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object.
    Helix Nebula, NGC 7293
  • Object Description
    Object DescriptionThe type of astronomical object.
    Planetary Nebula
  • Release Date
    May 9, 2003
  • Science Release
    Iridescent Glory of Nearby Planetary Nebula Showcased on Astronomy Day
    Read the release
  • Credits
    NASA, NOAO, ESA and The Hubble Helix Team

Downloads

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Compass and Scale
Compass and ScaleAn astronomical image with a scale that shows how large an object is on the sky, a compass that shows how the object is oriented on the sky, and the filters with which the image was made.

Related Images & Videos

Iridescent Glory of Nearby Helix Nebula

Iridescent Glory of Nearby Helix Nebula

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Close-Up of the Helix Nebula

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Interview with C. Robert O'Dell: Part 1

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Interview segments with C. Robert O'Dell, Astrophysicist at Vanderbilt University. Clips reference the unexpected result of cometary knots and how the material within the Helix Nebula can be studied because it is one of the closest planetary nebulae to us.

Interview with C. Robert O'Dell: Part 2

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Interview with Margaret Meixner: Part 2

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HubbleMinute: Helix Nebula

HubbleMinute: Helix Nebula

A HubbleMinute on the Helix Nebula titled "Knots of Wonder". This video was created for the Astronomy Day unveiling of the Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys nine mosaic images that were blended with a NOAO National Science Foundation's 0.9-meter image of the Helix Nebula. It...

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Last Updated
Feb 17, 2025
Contact
Media

Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, MD
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov

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