Cosmic Gem: Panning across Planetary Nebula Abell 33 | ESO

Cosmic Gem: Panning across Planetary Nebula Abell 33 | ESO

    

This pan video gives a close-up look at an eye-catching image of planetary nebula Abell 33 captured using the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile. Distance: 2,500 light years 

Created when an aging star blew off its outer layers, this beautiful blue bubble is, by chance, aligned with a foreground star, and bears an uncanny resemblance to a diamond engagement ring. This cosmic gem is unusually symmetric, appearing to be almost perfectly circular on the sky.

Credit: European Southern Observatory (ESO)

Image Date: April 9, 2014

#NASA #ESO #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #Nebulae #PlanetaryNebula #Abell33 #Hydra #Constellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #Telescope #VLT #Chile #Europe #STEM #Education #HD #Video