NGC 6818
| NGC 6818 | |
|---|---|
| 250px | |
| Observation data (Epoch J2000) |
|
| Right ascension | 19h 43m 57.8s[1] |
| Declination | −14° 9′ 11.9″[1] |
| Constellation | Sagittarius |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Other designations | PK 25-17.1, HD 186282, GCRV 12096, BD-14 5523 |
NGC 6818 (also known as Little Gem Nebula) is a planetary nebula located in the constellation of Sagittarius. It was discovered by William Herschel in 1787.
NGC 6818 is located in the constellation of Sagittarius (The Archer), roughly 6000 light-years away from Earth. The glow of the cloud is just over half a light-year across.
When stars like the Sun are near end of life, they send their outer layers into space to create glowing clouds of gas, a planetary nebulae. This ejection of mass is uneven, and planetary nebulae can have complex shapes. NGC 6818 shows knotty filament-like structures and distinct layers of material, with a bright and enclosed central bubble surrounded by a larger, more diffuse cloud.
Scientists believe that the stellar wind from the central star propels the outflowing material, forming the elongated shape of NGC 6818. As this stellar wind moves through the slower-moving cloud it creates particularly bright spots in the bubble’s outer layers.[2]
Contents
Gallery
-
Little gem.jpg
Stellar wind from the central star propels the outflowing material.[3]
See also
References
<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />
Cite error: Invalid <references> tag; parameter "group" is allowed only.
<references />, or <references group="..." />External links
<templatestyles src="Asbox/styles.css"></templatestyles>
 |
This nebula-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
