News Release Archive: 1996

News Release 33 of 37

January 16, 1996 09:30 AM (EST)

News Release Number: STScI-1996-05

Hubble Telescope Photo Reveals Stellar Death Process

An American Astronomical Society Meeting Release

This Hubble telescope picture of planetary nebula NGC 7027 reveals remarkable new details of the process by which a star like the Sun dies. The nebula is a glowing record of the star's final death throes.

New features include faint, blue, concentric shells surrounding the nebula; an extensive network of red dust clouds throughout the bright inner region; and the hot, central white dwarf, visible as a white dot at the center.


Credit: H. Bond (STScI) and NASA