PuWe1
PuWe 1 is one of the largest and faintest planetary nebula known to exist. The nebula was created when a red giant star blew off its outer layers near the end of its life. The gas is energized by the remaining core of the star, which is called a white dwarf. However it is very faint due to its large size. As planetary nebulae expand they become fainter because the gas moves further from the white dwarf that energizes it.
| Observatory: | Kitt Peak National Observatory Kitt Peak, Arizona |
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| Telescope: | KPNO 4-Meter |
| Instrument: | Mosaic I |
| Astronomer: | T.A. Rector (University of Alaska Anchorage) and H. Schweiker (WIYN and NOAO/AURA/NSF) |
| Date of Observation: | 02-11-2015 |
| Filters and Assigned Colors: | Hydrogen alpha (red) and Oxygen [OIII] (blue) |
| Exposure Times: | 5x10min in each |
| Location of Image: | Lynx |
| Field of View: | 36.3 x 33.0 arcmin |
| Orientation: | North is left, East is down |
| Link to Larger Image | |
| Link to Full Resolution Image | |
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