A Halo for NGC
6164
Beautiful emission nebula NGC 6164 was created by a rare, hot, luminous O-type star, some 40
times as massive as the Sun.
Seen at the center of
the cosmic cloud, the star is a mere 3 to 4 million years old. In another three
to four million years the massive star will end its life in a supernova explosion.
Spanning around 4
light-years, the nebula itself has a bipolar symmetry. That makes it
similar in appearance to more familiar planetary nebulae - the gaseous shrouds surrounding dying
sun-like stars.
Also like many planetary
nebulae, NGC 6164 has been found to have an extensive, faint halo, revealed in this deep telescopic image of the region. Expanding
into the surrounding interstellar medium, the material in the halo is likely from an earlier active phase
of the O star.
The gorgeous skyscape is a composite of narrow-band image data
highlighting the glowing gas, and broad-band data of the surrounding starfield.
NGC 6164 is 4,200 light-years away in the southern constellation of Norma.
Image Credit & Copyright: Don Goldman