planetary nebula

emission nebula consisting of a shell of ionized gas ejected from a red giant

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A planetary nebula is a glowing shell of gas that gets ejected into space when a red giant star enters the final stages of its life. These objects help astronomers understand how stars die and how they scatter material back into the universe to seed the formation of new stars and planets.

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Image: NGC 7009 Hubble.jpg

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Commons category: Planetary nebulae

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X-ray/optical composite image of the Cat's Eye Nebula (NGC 6543) Two cameras aboard Webb Telescope captured the latest image of this planetary nebula, cataloged as NGC 3132, and known informally as the Southern Ring Nebula. It is approximately 2,500 light-years away. NGC 6326, a planetary nebula with glowing wisps of outpouring gas that are lit up by a binary central star

A planetary nebula is a type of emission nebula consisting of an expanding, glowing shell of ionized gas ejected from red giant stars late in their lives.