The Helix nebula, the last breath of a star

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Intermediate to low-mass stars at the end of their lives eject the outer layers of their mantle in the interstellar medium, forming a so-called planetary nebula. Then, the relic stellar core at the center of the nebula will end its life as a white dwarf star. These spectacular objects are the last breath of a star close to its end. The Helix nebula or NGC 7293 (also known as the “Eye of God” in pop culture), located in the constellation Aquarius, is one of the closest planetary nebulae to the Earth, at a distance of ~ 650 light-years. The relic stellar core is visible at the center of the nebula. The model is an artist’s impression derived from an image obtained with several visible filters by Hubble Space Telescope (see figure below).

Image Credit: A. Campbell