English: mage of the planetary nebula Henize 2-428 from the Very Large Telescope
This image of the unusual planetary nebula was obtained using ESO’s Very Large Telescope at the Paranal Observatory in Chile. In the heart of this colourful nebula lies a unique object consisting of two white dwarf stars, each with a mass a little less than that of the Sun. These stars are expected to slowly draw closer to each other and merge in around 700 million years. This event will create a dazzling supernova of Type Ia and destroy both stars.
Credit: ESO
About the Object
Name: Hen 2-428, Henize 2-428
Type: • Milky Way : Nebula : Type : Planetary
Distance: 4500 light years
Constellation: Aquila
Coordinates
Position (RA): 19 13 5.38
Position (Dec): 15° 46' 42.39"
Field of view: 4.79 x 3.85 arcminutes
Orientation: North is 0.0° left of vertical
Colours & filters Band Telescope
Optical [OIII]/3000 504 nm Very Large Telescope FORS2
Optical [OIII] 500 nm Very Large Telescope FORS2
Optical H-alpha 656 nm Very Large Telescope FORS2
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== {{int:filedesc}} == {{Information |Description={{en|1='''mage of the planetary nebula Henize 2-428 from the Very Large Telescope This image of the unusual planetary nebula was obtained using ESO’s Very Large Telescope at the Paranal Observatory...