Double Helix Nebula
Encyclopedia
The Double Helix Nebula is a gaseous nebula
near the center of our galaxy. It is thought to have been distorted by magnetic torsion
into the shape of two connected spirals, known popularly as a double helix, akin to the shape of DNA
.
The nebula was discovered by the Spitzer Space Telescope
. The segment seen so far is thought to be 80 light years long, 300 light years from the supermassive black hole
thought to be at the galaxy's center, and 25,000 light years from Earth
.
This nebula is seen as circumstantial evidence that the magnetic fields at the center of the galaxy are extremely strong, more than 1,000 times stronger than those of the Sun
. If so, they may be driven by the massive disc of gas orbiting the central supermassive black hole.
The Double Helix Nebula should not be confused with the Helix Nebula
, a planetary nebula
only 650 light years from Earth.
Nebula
A nebula is an interstellar cloud of dust, hydrogen gas, helium gas and other ionized gases...
near the center of our galaxy. It is thought to have been distorted by magnetic torsion
Torsion (mechanics)
In solid mechanics, torsion is the twisting of an object due to an applied torque. In sections perpendicular to the torque axis, the resultant shear stress in this section is perpendicular to the radius....
into the shape of two connected spirals, known popularly as a double helix, akin to the shape of DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
.
The nebula was discovered by the Spitzer Space Telescope
Spitzer Space Telescope
The Spitzer Space Telescope , formerly the Space Infrared Telescope Facility is an infrared space observatory launched in 2003...
. The segment seen so far is thought to be 80 light years long, 300 light years from the supermassive black hole
Supermassive black hole
A supermassive black hole is the largest type of black hole in a galaxy, in the order of hundreds of thousands to billions of solar masses. Most, and possibly all galaxies, including the Milky Way, are believed to contain supermassive black holes at their centers.Supermassive black holes have...
thought to be at the galaxy's center, and 25,000 light years from Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
.
This nebula is seen as circumstantial evidence that the magnetic fields at the center of the galaxy are extremely strong, more than 1,000 times stronger than those of the Sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
. If so, they may be driven by the massive disc of gas orbiting the central supermassive black hole.
The Double Helix Nebula should not be confused with the Helix Nebula
Helix Nebula
The Helix Nebula is a large planetary nebula located in the constellation Aquarius. Discovered by Karl Ludwig Harding, probably before 1824, this object is one of the closest to the Earth of all the bright planetary nebulae. The estimated distance is about 215 parsecs or 700 light-years...
, a planetary nebula
Planetary nebula
A planetary nebula is an emission nebula consisting of an expanding glowing shell of ionized gas ejected during the asymptotic giant branch phase of certain types of stars late in their life...
only 650 light years from Earth.