{"id":498207,"date":"2026-08-04T14:05:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-04T04:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/image-article\/apod-august-4-2026-curious-cometary-knots-in-the-helix-nebula\/"},"modified":"2026-08-04T14:05:00","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T04:05:00","slug":"apod-august-4-2026-curious-cometary-knots-in-the-helix-nebula","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=498207","title":{"rendered":"APOD: August 4, 2026 \u2013 Curious Cometary Knots in the Helix Nebula"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-module hds-module-full alignfull wp-block-nasa-blocks-secondary-navigation\">\n<div class=\"hds-secondary-navigation-wrapper z-top width-100 padding-0\">\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-secondary-navigation width-full border-bottom-1px text-center hds-color-mode-dark hds-module hds-module-full alignfull wp-block-nasa-blocks-hdsnav\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"hds-secondary-nav-mobile-button display-flex tablet:display-flex 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class=\"usa-nav__link\" href=\"https:\/\/asterisk.apod.com\/viewtopic.php?t=45003\" rel=\"noopener\">Discuss<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-secondary-navigation-menu-spacer\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media-detail-hero nasa-gb-align-wide width-full maxw-full margin-y-5 desktop:margin-y-7 padding-x-3 media-detail-hero--suppress-inner-media-caption hds-module alignwide wp-block-nasa-blocks-media-detail-hero\">\n<div class=\"grid-container grid-container-block padding-x-0\">\n<p class=\"label margin-bottom-1\">APOD<\/p>\n<p class=\"heading-22 margin-top-0 margin-bottom-2\">Astronomy Picture of the Day<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-md margin-top-0 margin-bottom-3 media-detail-hero__subtext\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/apod\/archive\/\">Discover the cosmos!<\/a> Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"media-detail-hero__media margin-bottom-6\">\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\">\n<div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-full\">\n<div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/webb\/science\/2026\/01\/STScI-01KCMAMZ8ZSMRTR9KKD8Y6EMRJ.png?w=11124&#038;h=8064&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"11124\" height=\"8064\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/webb\/science\/2026\/01\/STScI-01KCMAMZ8ZSMRTR9KKD8Y6EMRJ.png?w=11124&#038;h=8064&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"A closeup of a small section of the Helix Nebula, an expanding shell of gas and dust. Thousands of orange and gold comet-like pillars stream upward from the bottom, like thin liquid blown up a sheet of glass. These pillars are around the circumference of the arced shell, which forms a partial orange semi-circle at the bottom. The pillars are more numerous and denser at the bottom, and darker red. They fade to orange and then yellow in the arc. In the top two-thirds, they are thinner and more golden, and it\u2019s easier to see the black background of space. Several bright blue stars, some with diffraction spikes, are scattered throughout. A few larger stars are on the right side.\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/webb\/science\/2026\/01\/STScI-01KCMAMZ8ZSMRTR9KKD8Y6EMRJ.png?w=11124&#038;h=8064&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 11124w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/webb\/science\/2026\/01\/STScI-01KCMAMZ8ZSMRTR9KKD8Y6EMRJ.png?w=300&#038;h=217&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 300w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/webb\/science\/2026\/01\/STScI-01KCMAMZ8ZSMRTR9KKD8Y6EMRJ.png?w=768&#038;h=557&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 768w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/webb\/science\/2026\/01\/STScI-01KCMAMZ8ZSMRTR9KKD8Y6EMRJ.png?w=1024&#038;h=742&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1024w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/webb\/science\/2026\/01\/STScI-01KCMAMZ8ZSMRTR9KKD8Y6EMRJ.png?w=1536&#038;h=1113&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1536w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/webb\/science\/2026\/01\/STScI-01KCMAMZ8ZSMRTR9KKD8Y6EMRJ.png?w=2048&#038;h=1485&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 2048w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/webb\/science\/2026\/01\/STScI-01KCMAMZ8ZSMRTR9KKD8Y6EMRJ.png?w=400&#038;h=290&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 400w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/webb\/science\/2026\/01\/STScI-01KCMAMZ8ZSMRTR9KKD8Y6EMRJ.png?w=600&#038;h=435&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 600w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/webb\/science\/2026\/01\/STScI-01KCMAMZ8ZSMRTR9KKD8Y6EMRJ.png?w=900&#038;h=652&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 900w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/webb\/science\/2026\/01\/STScI-01KCMAMZ8ZSMRTR9KKD8Y6EMRJ.png?w=1200&#038;h=870&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1200w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/missions\/webb\/science\/2026\/01\/STScI-01KCMAMZ8ZSMRTR9KKD8Y6EMRJ.png?w=2000&#038;h=1450&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 11124px) 100vw, 11124px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h1 class=\"display-48 margin-top-0 margin-bottom-3\">Curious Cometary Knots  in the Helix Nebula<\/h1>\n<div class=\"grid-row media-detail-hero__content-row\">\n<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-6\">\n<p class=\"p-md margin-0 media-detail-hero__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhat causes unusual knots of gas and dust in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Planetary_nebula\" rel=\"noopener\">planetary nebulas<\/a>? Seen also in the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/apod.nasa.gov\/apod\/ap230814.html\" rel=\"noopener\">Ring Nebula<\/a>, the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/apod.nasa.gov\/apod\/ap260622.html\" rel=\"noopener\">Dumbbell Nebula<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/apod.nasa.gov\/apod\/ap060709.html\" rel=\"noopener\">NGC 2392<\/a>, the knots\u2019 existence was not initially predicted, and their origins are still\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/dogwithblog.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/head-tilt-flappy-ears.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">not well understood<\/a>. Pictured\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/asset\/webb\/helix-nebula-nircam\/\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a>\u00a0is a fascinating image of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/asset\/webb\/helix-nebula-context-vista-and-webb\/\" rel=\"noopener\">part<\/a>\u00a0of the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/apod.nasa.gov\/apod\/ap250729.html\" rel=\"noopener\">Helix Nebula<\/a>\u00a0by the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/webb\/\" rel=\"noopener\">James Webb Space Telescope<\/a>\u00a0showing tremendous detail in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/ems\/07_infraredwaves\/\" rel=\"noopener\">infrared light<\/a>. The cometary knots have masses similar to the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/earth\/facts\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Earth<\/a>\u00a0but have sizes typically several times the orbit of Pluto.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/ui.adsabs.harvard.edu\/abs\/1996AJ....111.1630O\/abstract\" rel=\"noopener\">One hypothesis<\/a>\u00a0for the fragmentation and evolution of the knots includes existing gas being\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rayleigh%E2%80%93Taylor_instability\" rel=\"noopener\">driven out<\/a>\u00a0by a less dense but highly energetic\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Stellar_wind\" rel=\"noopener\">stellar wind<\/a>\u00a0of the central evolving star. The\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Helix_Nebula\" rel=\"noopener\">Helix Nebula<\/a>\u00a0is one of the closest examples of a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/esahubble.org\/wordbank\/planetary-nebula\/\" rel=\"noopener\">planetary nebula<\/a>\u00a0created at the end of the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/resource\/the-life-cycle-of-a-sun-like-star-annotated\/\" rel=\"noopener\">life of a Sun-like star<\/a>. Given a technical designation of NGC 7293, the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/asset\/webb\/helix-nebula-mini-poster\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Helix Nebula<\/a>\u00a0lies about 650\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/spaceplace.nasa.gov\/light-year\/en\/\" rel=\"noopener\">light-year<\/a>s away towards the constellation of Water Carrier (<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Aquarius_(constellation)\" rel=\"noopener\">Aquarius<\/a>).\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"display-none desktop:display-block desktop:grid-col-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-5 margin-top-3 desktop:margin-top-0\">\n<table class=\"media-detail-hero__meta-table width-full\">\n<tbody>\n<tr class=\"media-detail-hero__meta-row\">\n<th scope=\"row\" class=\"label padding-y-1\">Date<\/th>\n<td class=\"p-sm padding-y-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAugust 4, 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"media-detail-hero__meta-row\">\n<th scope=\"row\" class=\"label padding-y-1\">Credit<\/th>\n<td class=\"p-sm padding-y-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tImage: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI; Image Processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI)\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"media-detail-hero__meta-row\">\n<th scope=\"row\" class=\"label padding-y-1\">Authors &#038; editors:<\/th>\n<td class=\"p-sm padding-y-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRobert Nemiroff, Jerry Bonnell, Cecilia Chirenti, Keighley Rockcliffe\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"media-detail-hero__meta-row\">\n<th scope=\"row\" class=\"label padding-y-1\">A service of:<\/th>\n<td class=\"p-sm padding-y-1\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/science.gsfc.nasa.gov\/astrophysics\/\"  rel=\"noopener\">ASD<\/a> at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/\"  rel=\"noopener\">NASA<\/a> \/ <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/centers\/goddard\/\"  rel=\"noopener\">GSFC<\/a>,<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/learn\/about-science-activation\/\"  rel=\"noopener\">NASA Science Activation<\/a> &#038; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mtu.edu\/\"  rel=\"noopener\">Michigan Tech. U.<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"nasa-gb-align-wide nasa-button-link padding-y-1 padding-x-0 hds-module alignwide wp-block-nasa-blocks-related-link\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/apod\/random-apod\/\"  class=\"button-primary button-primary-md link-external-false\" aria-label=\"Random APOD Generator\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"line-height-alt-1\">Random APOD Generator<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<svg viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><circle class=\"button-primary-circle\" cx=\"16\" cy=\"16\" r=\"16\"><\/circle><path d=\"M8 16.956h12.604l-3.844 4.106 1.252 1.338L24 16l-5.988-6.4-1.252 1.338 3.844 4.106H8v1.912z\" class=\"color-spacesuit-white\"><\/path><\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"height:1px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-module alignwide wp-block-smd-block-next-prev\">\n<div class=\"smd-next-prev-buttons-titles\">\n            <a class=\"smd-next-prev__prev\" href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/image-article\/apod\/apod-2026-august-3-vaporizing-meteor-photobombs-the-lacerta-nebula\/\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"hds-next-prev-nav-arrow hds-next-prev-arrow-prev\">\n                    <svg version=\"1.1\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"9px\" height=\"9px\" viewBox=\"0 0 9 9\"><path class=\"st0\" d=\"M3.5,4.5l3.7-3.6L6.3,0L1.8,4.5L6.3,9l0.9-0.9L3.5,4.5z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n                <\/div>\n<div class=\"smd-next-prev-buttons-titles__content\">\n<div class=\"smd-next-prev-buttons-titles__prev-label\">\n                        Yesterday&#8217;s Image                    <\/div>\n<div class=\"smd-next-prev-buttons-titles__prev\">\n                        APOD: 2026 August 3 \u2013 Vaporizing Meteor Photobombs the Lacerta Nebula                    <\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>            <\/a><br \/>\n            <a class=\"smd-next-prev__next smd-next-prev__disabled\" href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/image-article\/apod-august-4-2026-curious-cometary-knots-in-the-helix-nebula\/#\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"smd-next-prev-buttons-titles__content\">\n<div class=\"smd-next-prev-buttons-titles__next-label\">\n                        Tomorrow&#8217;s Image                    <\/div>\n<div class=\"smd-next-prev-buttons-titles__next\">\n                                            <\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-next-prev-nav-arrow hds-next-prev-arrow-next\">\n                    <svg version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"9px\" height=\"9px\" viewBox=\"0 0 9 9\"><path class=\"st0\" d=\"M5.5,4.5L1.8,8.1L2.7,9l4.5-4.5L2.7,0L1.8,0.9L5.5,4.5z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n                <\/div>\n<p>            <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>APOD Science APOD APOD: August 4, 2026 \u2013\u2026 Today\u2019s APOD Archive Submissions Index Search Calendar RSS Education About Discuss \u00a0 APOD Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. Curious Cometary Knots [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20768],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-498207","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-apod"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO Pro 5.0.0.1 - aioseo.com -->\n\t<meta name=\"description\" content=\"APOD Science APOD APOD: August 4, 2026 \u2013\u2026 Today\u2019s APOD Archive Submissions Index Search Calendar RSS Education About Discuss APOD Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos! 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