NGC 7027

NGC 7027 is a compact, young planetary nebula in Cygnus, formed from gas expelled by a dying star. Its bright central star illuminates and ionizes a dense, complex shell.

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Planetary nebula: An expanding shell of ionized gas ejected by a low- or intermediate-mass star near the end of its life. NGC 7027 is a compact, young example of this late stellar phase.
NGC 6543: A bright planetary nebula in Draco, commonly called the Cat's Eye Nebula. Its intricate, extended shells contrast with NGC 7027's unusually compact, dense structure.
Asymptotic giant branch: A late stage in the evolution of low- and intermediate-mass stars, marked by a cool, luminous giant and intense mass loss. NGC 7027's gas was expelled during the progenitor's late giant-star evolution.
James Webb Space Telescope: A space observatory designed to observe infrared light with a large segmented mirror. Its infrared images expose dust and molecular structures hidden in visible-light views of NGC 7027.
Binary star: A system of two stars bound by their mutual gravitational attraction. An unseen or close companion could help explain the nebula's asymmetric structure.
Stellar wind: A continuous outflow of gas from a star's atmosphere into surrounding space. The central star's fast wind reshapes the nebula's earlier, slower ejecta.
NGC 7293: A large, nearby planetary nebula in Aquarius, commonly called the Helix Nebula. The Helix's broad, evolved appearance contrasts with NGC 7027's youth and compactness.
Planetary nebula nucleus: The hot, exposed stellar core that ionizes the expanding gas of a planetary nebula. This central remnant supplies the radiation that makes NGC 7027 visible.
Hubble Space Telescope: A space observatory that observes ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared light. Hubble resolves the nebula's bright, compact structures at optical and near-infrared wavelengths.
Planetary nebula shaping: The processes that produce the varied shapes and structures of planetary nebulae. NGC 7027 tests how winds, magnetic fields, and companions sculpt expelled stellar gas.