The Helix Nebula | NGC 7293 | Hubble Space Telescope by Deep Field

This composite image shows the colourful Helix Nebula, captured using the Advanced Camera for Surveys on board the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and the Mosaic II Camera on the 4-metre telescope at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. The object is so large that both telescopes were needed to capture a complete view. The Helix is a planetary nebula, the glowing gaseous envelope expelled by a dying, sun-like star. The Helix resembles a simple doughnut as seen from Earth. But appearances can be deceiving. New evidence suggests that the Helix consists of two gaseous discs nearly perpendicular to each other.

The image is presented with a scientific information layer that adds context to the astronomical object, including its name, classification, distance from Earth, constellation, field of view, and the filters used to create the image. The filter information is visualized using the corresponding wavelengths, expressed in nanometers or micrometers.

This combination of astronomical imagery and scientific information makes the work both a striking piece of space art and an accessible introduction to the universe beyond Earth.

The artwork is created from the highest-resolution source material published by ESA/Hubble and is suitable for large-format printing.