Planetary nebulae are some of the most beautiful objects in the universe.
They are formed when an intermediate mass star no longer has enough hydrogen to sustain nuclear fusion. The energy from nuclear fusion cannot counter gravitational forces and the star collapses. This causes the core of the star to heat up, and the outer shell of the star is ejected. The exposed core emits extraordinarily intense ultraviolet radiation which ionises the expelled shell, causing it to emit light - primarily at the wavelengths of hydrogen alpha and oxygen III.
Click on the PN for images and more details.
They are formed when an intermediate mass star no longer has enough hydrogen to sustain nuclear fusion. The energy from nuclear fusion cannot counter gravitational forces and the star collapses. This causes the core of the star to heat up, and the outer shell of the star is ejected. The exposed core emits extraordinarily intense ultraviolet radiation which ionises the expelled shell, causing it to emit light - primarily at the wavelengths of hydrogen alpha and oxygen III.
Click on the PN for images and more details.
Abell Catalog
Alves 1
Alves 3
Alves 6
AlvKn 1
BMP J1808-1406
Cava 1
Cop 2
DeHt 2
Dr 24
Dr 26
Dr 27
Dr 29
EGB 6
Ek 5
Ek 7
Ek 8
Ek 9
Ek 10
EkGo 1
EkGo 3
EkGo 4
El 3
Fe 1
Fe 6
FP J0711-2531
FP J1755-1301
FP J1824-0319
FP J1912-0331
Fr 2-25
H 3-75
HaWe 4
HDW 2
HDW 3
HDW 6
HFG 1
HoCr 1
Hu 2
Hu 5
Hu 7
IC 1295
IC 1454
IPHASX J055226.2+323724
IPHASX J055711.7+282322
IPHASX J192347.8+143642
IPHASX J193009.3+192129
IPHASX J193718.6+202102
Jacoby 1
JnEv 1
Jones 1
Jones-Emberson 1
Ju 1
K 1-16
K 1-6
Kk 26
Kronberger Catalog
Kohoutek 1-17
LoTr 1
LoTr 5
LTNF 1
M 2-55
Messier Catalog
MoMi 6
NGC Catalog
MWP 1
Ou 3
Pa 3
Pa 4
Pa 28
Pa 153
Pa 165
PaEl 1
PaEl 2
PaElPos 2
PaGo 1
PaGo 2
PaMor 1
PaNi 1
PHR J0719-1222
PHR J0723+0036
PHR J0743-1951
PHR J0800-1635
PHR J1728-1844
PHR J1746-2611
PHR J1757-1649
PHR J1828-1549
PHR J1832-0317
PHR J1911-1546
PM 1-320
PM 1-333
PN G006.5+08.7
PN G011.8+03.7
PN G016.3-02.3
PN G020.9-11.3
PN G136.7+61.9
PN G216.0-07.4
PN G227.1+00.5
PuWe 1
Pre 7
Ra 30
Ra 54
Ri 1
Si 1-2
SkAc 1
Soap Bubble
St Dr Catalog
We 1-3
We 1-10
We 2-5
We 3-1
WeSb 1
WeSb 2
WHTZ 1
WHTZ 3
YM 16
Alves 1
Alves 3
Alves 6
AlvKn 1
BMP J1808-1406
Cava 1
Cop 2
DeHt 2
Dr 24
Dr 26
Dr 27
Dr 29
EGB 6
Ek 5
Ek 7
Ek 8
Ek 9
Ek 10
EkGo 1
EkGo 3
EkGo 4
El 3
Fe 1
Fe 6
FP J0711-2531
FP J1755-1301
FP J1824-0319
FP J1912-0331
Fr 2-25
H 3-75
HaWe 4
HDW 2
HDW 3
HDW 6
HFG 1
HoCr 1
Hu 2
Hu 5
Hu 7
IC 1295
IC 1454
IPHASX J055226.2+323724
IPHASX J055711.7+282322
IPHASX J192347.8+143642
IPHASX J193009.3+192129
IPHASX J193718.6+202102
Jacoby 1
JnEv 1
Jones 1
Jones-Emberson 1
Ju 1
K 1-16
K 1-6
Kk 26
Kronberger Catalog
Kohoutek 1-17
LoTr 1
LoTr 5
LTNF 1
M 2-55
Messier Catalog
MoMi 6
NGC Catalog
MWP 1
Ou 3
Pa 3
Pa 4
Pa 28
Pa 153
Pa 165
PaEl 1
PaEl 2
PaElPos 2
PaGo 1
PaGo 2
PaMor 1
PaNi 1
PHR J0719-1222
PHR J0723+0036
PHR J0743-1951
PHR J0800-1635
PHR J1728-1844
PHR J1746-2611
PHR J1757-1649
PHR J1828-1549
PHR J1832-0317
PHR J1911-1546
PM 1-320
PM 1-333
PN G006.5+08.7
PN G011.8+03.7
PN G016.3-02.3
PN G020.9-11.3
PN G136.7+61.9
PN G216.0-07.4
PN G227.1+00.5
PuWe 1
Pre 7
Ra 30
Ra 54
Ri 1
Si 1-2
SkAc 1
Soap Bubble
St Dr Catalog
We 1-3
We 1-10
We 2-5
We 3-1
WeSb 1
WeSb 2
WHTZ 1
WHTZ 3
YM 16