Back to Glossary
Planetary Nebula
An expanding shell of ionized gas ejected from a red giant star in the late stages of stellar evolution. Despite the name, it has no connection to planets. The glowing gas is illuminated by the hot core of the dying star.
Source: science.nasa.gov
APODs including "Planetary Nebula"
Ringed Nebulae
09/07/2004
M57: The Ring Nebula
04/07/2004
Rungs of the Red Rectangle
13/05/2004
NGC 6302: Big, Bright, Bug Nebula
05/05/2004
M27: Not A Comet
24/04/2004
NGC 6369: The Little Ghost Nebula
07/02/2004
M2-9: Wings of a Butterfly Nebula
01/02/2004
NGC 2440: Cocoon of a New White Dwarf
11/01/2004
NGC 2392 Nebula from Hubble
07/12/2003
Halo of the Cat's Eye
01/11/2003
NGC 3132: The Eight Burst Nebula
13/09/2003
Dumbbell Nebula Halo
25/07/2003
The Planetary Nebula Show
14/06/2003
NGC 1818: Pick A Star
31/05/2003
A Tale of Two Nebulae
16/05/2003
NGC 7293: The Helix Nebula
10/05/2003
The Egg Nebula in Polarized Light
09/04/2003
M57: The Ring Nebula
22/03/2003
Cold Wind from the Boomerang Nebula
20/02/2003
Dumbbell Nebula Close-Up from Hubble
11/02/2003
The Dumbbell Nebula in Hydrogen and Oxygen
13/01/2003
IC 418: The Spirograph Nebula
14/12/2002
NGC 6369: The Little Ghost Nebula
08/11/2002
Halo of the Cat's Eye
04/09/2002
Gomez's Hamburger: A Proto-Planetary Nebula
07/08/2002
Henize 3-401: An Elongated Planetary Nebula
31/07/2002
IC 4406: A Seemingly Square Nebula
18/06/2002
MyCn18: An Hourglass Nebula
15/06/2002
At the Edge of the Helix Nebula
12/05/2002
NGC 2392 from Hubble
07/04/2002