The Helix is a planetary nebula, formed by a star which sheds its outer layers near the end of its evolution. Gases from the star in the surrounding space appear, from our perspective, as if we are looking down a helix structure. The nebula nucleus is destined to become a white dwarf star. The glow of the central star is so energetic that it causes the previously expelled gases to brightly fluoresce.
This cropped version of the Helix Nebula mosaic shows cometary-filaments embedded along a portion of the inner rim of the nebula's red and blue gas ring. At a distance of 650 light-years, the Helix is one of the nearest planetary nebulae to Earth.
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Beautiful post