The first hint of what will become of our Sun was discovered inadvertently in 1764. At that time, Charles Messier was compiling a list of diffuse objects not to be confused with comets. The 27th object on Messier's list, now known as M27 or the Dumbbell Nebula, is a planetary nebula, the type of nebula our Sun will produce when nuclear fusion stops in its core. M27 is one of the brightest planetary nebulae on the sky, and can be seen toward the constellation of the Fox (Vulpecula) with binoculars. It takes light about 1000 years to reach us from M27. Understanding the physics and significance of M27 was well beyond 18th century science. Even today, many things remain mysterious about bipolar planetary nebula like M27, including the physical mechanism that expels a low-mass star's gaseous outer-envelope, leaving an X-ray hot white dwarf (text adapted from APOD). Apo TEC140 (140/f7.2) - FLI Proline 16803 - Ha (150m) OIII (290m) R (60m) G (70m) B (60m) - Warrumbungle Observatory, Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia
Wisps of dust fill the space between the stars. This dust is usually invisible, subtly acting to dim the light of more distant stars. Sometimes this dust is thick and prominent as dark patches on otherwise bright emission nebulae. Other times this dust may show itself by reflecting the light of bright, nearby stars. Because bright stars tend to be blue, and because dust reflects blue light more easily than red, the resulting reflection nebula usually appears blue. Pictured above is the reflection nebula Sharpless 2-1 in the constellation of Scorpius (text adapted from APOD). This is a mosaic of 2 panels. Apo TEC140 (140/f7.2) - FLI Proline 16803 - Ha (300m) L (250m) R (140m) G (110m) B (120m) - Warrumbungle Observatory, Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia
Sculpted by stellar winds and radiation, the star factory known as Messier 17 lies some 5,500 light-years away in the nebula-rich constellation Sagittarius. Stellar winds and energetic light from hot, massive stars formed from M17's stock of cosmic gas and dust have slowly carved away at the remaining interstellar material producing the cavernous appearance and undulating shapes. M17 is also known as the Omega Nebula or the Swan Nebula (text adapted from APOD).Apo TEC140 (140/f7.2) - FLI Proline 16803 - Ha (290m) R (80m) G (80m) B (90m) - Warrumbungle Observatory, Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia
