NGC 2792

NGC 2792 is a planetary nebula located in the constellation Vela. It was discovered by John Herschel in 1835. This relatively small and bright nebula is characterized by its nearly circular shape and a distinct double-shell structure. The central star, a white dwarf, is responsible for ionizing the expelled gas, causing it to glow.

The nebula is estimated to be several thousand years old and is expanding at a rate of several kilometers per second. Studies of NGC 2792 have provided valuable insights into the late stages of stellar evolution, particularly the process by which low- to intermediate-mass stars shed their outer layers to form planetary nebulae. The chemical composition of the nebula reveals information about the nuclear processes that occurred within the progenitor star before its demise. The distance to NGC 2792 has been estimated using various methods, placing it at roughly 6,000 to 8,000 light-years from Earth.