This nebula, NGC 2359, is more commonly known as Thor's Helmet. Thor is the Norse god of thunder. His helmet spans over 30 light-years. The star in the center of the cloud is supposed to be a very hot giant in the pre-supernova stage of evolution. The star is classified as a Wolf-Rayet Star which means that it has an atmosphere that compares to the thickness of the star itself. Most stars, however, have much thinner atmosphere. WR Stars also lose mass through wind at an extremely fast rate as it compares to the rate at which stars like our Sun lose mass. The emerald color in Thor's Helmet is is due to the immission of oxygen. The nebula is located about 15,000 light-years away from the Canis Major constellation.
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