NGC7293 (2004)

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 University), N. Panagia, M. Reinhart, M. Robberto, K. Sahu, D. Soderblom, L. Stanghellini, C. Tyler, J. Valenti, A. Welty, R. Williams (STScI). The CTIO data were taken by C.R. O'Dell (Vanderbilt University) and L.M. Frattare (STScI). The science team includes C.R. O'Dell (Vanderbilt University), P.R. McCullough and M. Meixner (STScI).
Credit: NASA, ESA, and C.R. O'Dell (Vanderbilt University)

About the Object

• Object Name: Helix Nebula, NGC 7293 or "The Eye of God"
• Object Description: Planetary Nebula
• Position (J2000): R.A. 22h 29m 48.20s

Dec. -20° 49' 26.0"

• Constellation: Aquarius
• Distance: About 690 light-years (213 parsecs)
• Dimensions: The image is roughly 28.7 arcminutes (5.6 light-years or 1.7 parsecs) across.

About the Data

• Instruments: ACS/WFC on Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and Mosaic II Camera on CTIO 4m telescope
• Exposure Time: 4.5 hours (HST) and 10 minutes (CTIO)
• Filters: F502N ([O III]) and F658N (Ha) (for the HST); c6009 (H alpha)and kc6014 ([O III]) for the CTIO

Image properties

• Centered on white dwarfed and cropped
• Downsampled to 3200x3200
• Saved as jpg, quality 8/10, 5 scans
• Stitching errors manually fixed