Tour of the Galaxies / Saturn Nebula

The Saturn Nebula was the first discoveries of William Herschel on September 7, 1782, when he started his great survey. This remarkable planetary nebula has its name from its appearance, which resembles a faint suggestion of the planet Saturn with rings nearly edge-on.

The layers of the Saturn Nebula give a complex picture of how this planetary nebula was created. This picture, taken in April 1996, allows a better understanding of the mysterious process that transformed a low-mass star into a white dwarf star. A computer model indicates that the central star of NGC 7009 first expelled the green gas that now appears barrel shaped. This green gas now confines stellar winds flowing from the central star, creating a jet which forms the ansae that appear in red at the tips. Much remains unknown, including why the gas has not become turbulent.