Fact Sheet
Heavy Lifting
Wisps of gas from a dying star form the Dumbbell Nebula in the constellation Vulpecula, the fox. It is about 1,200 light-years away, and spans about two light-years. The central star has expelled its outer layers of gas, which glow as they are zapped by ultraviolet radiation from the star's hot, exposed core. The nebula's name comes from its resemblance to a "dumbbell" weight. [Bill Schoening/NOAO/AURA/NSF]
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