Explanation:
Planetary
nebula NGC 2440 has an intriguing
bow-tie shape in
this
stunning view from space.
The nebula is composed of material cast off by a dying sun-like star as
it enters its
white dwarf phase of evolution.
Details of remarkably complex structures are revealed
within
NGC 2440, including
dense ridges of material swept back from the nebula's central star.
Near the center of the view, the star itself is one of the
hottest known, with a surface
temperature of about 200,000
kelvins.
About 4,000 light-years from planet Earth toward the nautical
constellation
Puppis,
the nebula spans over a light-year and is energized by ultraviolet light
from the central star.
The
false-color image was recorded earlier this month using the Hubble's
Wide-Field
Planetary Camera 2(WFPC2), demonstrating still impressive imaging
capabilities following the failure of the Advanced Camera
for Surveys.
