Astronomy Picture of the Day · October 4, 2012

NGC 7293: The Helix Nebula

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for October 4, 2012 is “NGC 7293: The Helix Nebula,” an image. The picture is copyrighted by its creator (Image Credit & Copyright: Martin Pugh). The original explanation runs about 154 words.

From the explanation

“A mere seven hundred light years from Earth, in the constellation Aquarius , a sun-like star is dying. Its last few thousand years have produced the Helix Nebula (NGC 7293), a well studied and nearby example of a Planetary Nebula , typical of this final phase of stellar evolution.”

— APOD editors, October 4, 2012

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date: October 4, 2012
Type: Image
Credit: Credit: Image Credit & Copyright: Martin Pugh
Copyright: Copyrighted by the credited creator. Ask the copyright holder before reusing it.
Explanation length: About 154 words

All of October 2012 → · 2012 by month → · Full archive since 1995 →

Topics in this entry

Nebulae

Topics are matched from words in the title and explanation.

On this day: October 4 in other years

On Amazon

Popular picks for space fans

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Electronics Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 32GB Read astronomy and space-history books anywhere. View on Amazon → Electronics Bose QuietComfort Wireless Headphones Noise-cancelling headphones for documentaries and launch livestreams. View on Amazon →

Source

Astronomy Picture of the Day, October 4, 2012 — science.nasa.gov/image-article/apod-2012-october-4-ngc-7293-the-helix-nebula

Copy taken Oct 28, 2026, 2:39 AM EDT. The image and explanation belong to their creators. OpenOrbit is not affiliated with or endorsed by NASA.