The Helix Nebula surrounds a dying star that has blown off its outer layers.  This shell of gas was once its central supply of nuclear fuel but is now nearly exhausted.  The remnant central star is a dense "white dwarf" that can no longer support nuclear reactions.  At a distance of 450 light-years, it is the closest planetary nebula to Earth.  The very hot white dwarf ionizes an inner shell of oxygen, which appears green in this image, and an outer shell of hydrogen, which appears red.  Several rings of material can be seen, with the fainter red northeastern arc visible to the lower left in this image.  The diameter of the main portion of the Helix Nebula is approximately 2.5 light-years across. 

IMAGE DETAILS:

• Date & Location:  October 7, 2010  - Bernville, PA

• Weather:  Breezy,  58F.

• Sky Conditions:  Clear with  average transparency.

• Optics:  TeleVue NP101is Refractor with 0.8x TeleVue Reducer = 432mm @ f4.3

• Filter:  Astronomic  EOS clip-in CLS-CCD (Light Pollution Suppression)

• Mount:  Losmandy G-11 equatorial with Gemini V4

• Guiding:  Orion Solitaire w/TeleVue TV60is

• Camera:  Canon T1i (500D) Hap Griffin Modified - Baader UV/IR

• Exposure:  65 min (7 x 5min, 5 x 6min @ ISO800).

• Calibration Frames:  16 Darks & 9 Bias frames

• Processing:  Images Plus 3.82b, Photoshop CS4, NIK.

• Comments:   Located on my southern horizon, which is somewhat light polluted, I was able to gain enough detail from the nebula with the aid of a light pollution suppression filter and the combining multiple light frames.