NGC 7662 - Blue Snowball

NGC 7662 - Blue Snowball Planetary Nebula

This planetary nebula is similar to the ring nebula situated west of Andromeda Galaxy and is about 4000 light years away.  It was discovered in 1784 by William Herschel.  It's expanding gas is about  light years across.  It's angular diameter is quite small measuring about 2.2 arcminutes in diameter.  This is the result of an older star that has burned out.  The inner core collapses and the explodes the outer core outwards.  The resultant star in the center is very dense and lights up the expanding gases.  Our Sun will go through a similar process as it grow's old.

Date:  11-28-03

Telescope: RC14.5 Prime Focus        Camera:ST8XE                

Exposure Time: LRGB 50min 1x1bin ;30min;30min;30min; 2x2bin

Processing: Maxim,reduced, DDP, Adobe combined