Supernova
Helix Nebula (NGC 7293)
The "Eye of God" — one of the nearest planetary nebulae
In Aquarius, only 650 light-years away; it covers half the apparent size of the Moon on the sky. Thousands of comet-like knots along its inner edge are sculpted by the wind of the central star.
| Type | Supernova |
|---|---|
| Constellation | Aquarius |
| Distance | 200 pc (650 light-years) |
| Apparent magnitude | 7,6 |
| Age | ~10,600 years |
| Right ascension (J2000) | 22h 29m 38.6s |
| Declination (J2000) | −20° 50′ 13″ |
In the sky
Visible from the whole Southern Hemisphere and north to latitude 69° N. South of latitude 69° S it never sets. It stands highest at midnight in August, the best time to observe it.
Through a telescope from Earth
Light's journey
The light you see tonight set out around the year 1374. At the speed of Voyager 1, the fastest craft leaving the Solar System (16.9 km per second), the trip would take 12 million years.