NGC 7293 - The Helix Nebula

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The Helix is a large planetary nebula that's nearby in astronomical terms (about 650 light years away) in Aquarius. Most images of it show the central blue/green region surrounded by a pink and red shell that gives it its namesake helix shape. But when you go deep with narrowband (H-alpha and Oiii) filters -- 29 hours in this case -- we realize that, like other similar nebulae such as the Ring and Dumbbell, it extends way beyond its bright central core.

PlaneWave CDK17 17" f/6.8 Astrograph

10Micron GM4000

Moravian C3-61000 Pro CMOS Camera

Total exposure: HaOiiiRGB 29 hours

Deep Space Remote Observatories - South at ObsTech El Sauce Observatory in Chile

August, September 2024

Data acquisition by Bob Fera and Steve Mandel

Image processing by Bob Fera