The planetary nebula Dumbbell (M27) is located about 1200 light years from Earth in the...

The planetary nebula Dumbbell (M27) is located about 1200 light years from Earth in the constellation Little Fox. A planetary nebula is a gas shell from a small late-life star whose heart collapsed to become a white dwarf and expelled the outer layers of its matter. In this image the nova appeared on August 18, 2005 is visible. The Dumbbell Nebula (M27, NGC6853), is a planetary nebula located about 1200 light years from the earth in the constellation of Vulpecula. The nebula was formed when an evolved, red giant star ejected its outer envelope near the end of its lifetime. The expanding cloud of gas becomes visible once the hot core of the star, visible near the center, is exposed and the high-energy, ultraviolet light from the core ionizes the cloud. On the evening of August 17- 18, 2005, two European astronomers simultaneously discovered a new star in the Dumbbell Nebula. This image is a portrait of the Dumbbell Nebula featuring the 2005 nova. It is comprised of thirty separate fifteen minute images digitally combined into a single picture that is equivalent to a single seven and a half hour exposure. Images taken through a 20 inch Ritchey-Chretien telescope and an eleven mega-pixel camera situated in New Mexico's south central mountains were supplemented with images gathered from San Jose, California with a twelve inch Dall-Kirkham Cassegrain reflector and a three mega-pixel SBIG camera -: Nebuleuse planetaire Dumbbell (M27) dans le Petite Fox - The Dumbell nebula with a nova 08-2005