Planetary Nebula Sh2-42 in Sagittarius: "A Star's Funeral Pyre" | SMARTS Telescope

Planetary Nebula Sh2-42 in Sagittarius: "A Star's Funeral Pyre" | SMARTS Telescope

This image shows the planetary nebula Sh2-42 in the constellation Sagittarius. It was captured using the SMARTS 0.9-meter Telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile, a Program of the U.S. National Science Foundation's NOIRLab. 

Despite the name, planetary nebulae have nothing to do with planets. They are spectacular 'funeral pyres' formed by red giant stars at the end of their lives. As these giant stars expand and throw their outer gaseous layers into space, the hot exposed core of the star ionizes the surrounding material, causing it to glow in a range of vivid colors. As it reaches the end of its life, our own Sun is expected to form a planetary nebula—but not for another 5 billion years.

Learn more about the SMARTS–GSU 0.9-meter Telescope:
https://noirlab.edu/public/programs/ctio/smarts-gsu-09m-telescope/

Credit: CTIO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA

Acknowledgments: Image Processing: T. A. Rector (University of Alaska Anchorage/NSF NOIRLab), M. Zamani & D. de Martin (NSF NOIRLab)
Release Date: May 26, 2021

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