Hubble Snaps Stunning Image of Little-Known Planetary Nebula

Officially named Kohoutek 4-55, this little-known planetary nebula lies within our Milky Way Galaxy.

“Planetary nebulae are the spectacular final display at the end of a giant star’s life,” Hubble astronomers said in a statement.

“Once a red giant star has exhausted its available fuel and shed its last layers of gas, its compact core will contract further, enabling a final burst of nuclear fusion.”

“The exposed core reaches extremely hot temperatures, radiating very energetic ultraviolet light that energises the enormous clouds of cast-off gas.”

“Molecules in the gas are ionized and glow brightly.”

“Here, red and orange indicate nitrogen molecules, green is hydrogen and blue shows oxygen in the nebula.”

Kohoutek 4-55 is located around 4,600 light-years away in the constellation of Cygnus.

Also known as UHA 15 or G084.2+01.0, this nebula has an uncommon, multi-layered form.

“Kohoutek 4-55’s bright inner ring is surrounded by a fainter layer of gas, all wrapped in a broad halo of ionized nitrogen,” the astronomers said.

“The spectacle is bittersweet, as the brief phase of fusion in the core will end after mere tens of thousands of years, leaving a white dwarf that will never illuminate the clouds around it again.”

This image of Kohoutek 4-55 was captured by Hubble’s Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2).

“Installed in 1993 to replace the original Wide Field and Planetary Camera (WFPC), WFPC2 was responsible for some of Hubble’s most enduring images and fascinating discoveries,” the researchers said.

“It in turn was replaced by the Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) in 2009, during Hubble’s final servicing mission.”

“The data for this image were taken a mere ten days before the instrument was removed from the telescope, as a fitting send-off for WFPC2 after 16 years’ work.”

“The latest and most advanced processing techniques have been used to bring the data to life one more time, producing this breathtaking new view of Kohoutek 4-55.”