Comets Colliding Inside The Helix Nebula

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by lllAE86lll, Feb 20, 2007.

  1. lllAE86lll

    lllAE86lll GR Since 2005

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    [​IMG]
    The latest photograph taken by the Spitzer Space Telescope shows a bizarre false colour view of the Helix Nebula. Located around 700 light years from Earth, in the constellation of Aquarius, this beautiful nebula used to be a star similar to our own Sun. As it died, it sloughed off its outer layers, creating the view we see today.

    It’s a beautiful and haunting photograph, but there’s some important science in there. The dusty dead star at the heart of the nebula is all that remains, but amazingly, its surrounded by dusty disc of icy material. Where’s all this dust coming from? Astronomers think that the death of the star has churned up the region of comets surrounding the star, and we see their collisions.

    Enjoy the view while you can. Astronomers think that it’ll disappear within 10,000 years or so. The colourful clouds will fade, and all we’ll see is tiny white dwarf ember slowly cooling to the ambient temperature of the Universe. A fate that our Sun will eventually share.


    Source : Universe Today
     
  2. .Apex

    .Apex Well-Known Member

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    i saw this in the paper the other day, they said it looks like the big Brother Logo. But that thing at the end, about our Sun, that probably wont happen until at least the year 4000
     
  3. tkim2008

    tkim2008 Member

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    So...the sun blows up like that?

    It looks beautiful...too bad it's fading.
     
  4. becks

    becks Well-Known Member

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    big brother in space?
     
  5. ChiefNX

    ChiefNX Well-Known Member

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    Cool. :D

    But it doesn't blow up... :wacko:
     
  6. Bam

    Bam Well-Known Member

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    Thats beautiful.

    Is it really going to happen to the sun?
     
  7. Masta

    Masta Well-Known Member

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    if it ever happens to the sun we've be all dead and gone before it even starts lol
     
  8. arbiter2005

    arbiter2005 Well-Known Member

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    Is this viewable out of the window? Cos the sky does look kinda redish around here

    Arbiter
     
  9. tkim2008

    tkim2008 Member

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    Probably not, I mean...700 light years away?
     
  10. Renagade

    Renagade Senior Member

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    So that actually happened 700 years ago.
     
  11. EA Genesis

    EA Genesis Senior Member

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    I am where I am
    as soon as the sun goes out

    we all die....
     
  12. GuitarGuru

    GuitarGuru Well-Known Member

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    of course it is, all good things dont last forever now do they
     
  13. PhanE

    PhanE Well-Known Member

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    The red seems so fake but its cool altogether
     
  14. 13d Lucidity

    13d Lucidity Well-Known Member

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    yeah when i first saw it i thought it was photoshopped lol
     
  15. Veripare

    Veripare Well-Known Member

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    That picture looks like a giant eyeball o.o

    Either way, it's pretty :)
     

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