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Gomez's hamburger (which is also known as IRAS 18059-3211) is an unusually shaped proto-planetary nebula located some 6500 lights years away toward the constellation Sagittarius. The object is named because of its striking resemblance to to a hamburger but is actually a star much like our Sun nearing the end of its life and well on its way to becoming a planetary nebular. The bright regions toward the edges of the object are produced by star light reflecting from dust, and the dark lane running through the middle of the object is produced by dense clouds of gas. Eventually the star will cast of its outer layers and become a planetary nebula
Image and text copyright © Astrographics. All rights reserved. Image courtesy of Space Telescope Science Institute. |
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