Nebula IC-5148

"IC 5148 is a beautiful planetary nebula located some 3000 light-years away in the constellation of Grus (The Crane). The nebula has a diameter of a couple of light-years, and it is still growing at over 50 kilometres per second - one of the fastest expanding planetary nebulae known. The term "planetary nebula" arose in the 19th century, when the first observations of such objects - through the small telescopes available at the time - looked somewhat like giant planets. However, the true nature of planetary nebulae is quite different.

IC 5148是一个美丽的行星状星云，位于飞马座（The Crane）中，距离约3000光年。该星云的直径约为数光年，仍在以每秒超过50公里的速度扩张——这是已知扩张速度最快的行星状星云之一。‘行星状星云’这一术语起源于19世纪，当时首次观测到这类天体时，由于当时可用的小型望远镜的观测结果看起来类似于巨大的行星，因此得名。然而，行星状星云的真实性质与行星截然不同。

When a star with a mass similar to or a few times more than that of our Sun approaches the end of its life, its outer layers are thrown off into space. The expanding gas is illuminated by the hot remaining core of the star at the centre, forming the planetary nebula, which often takes on a beautiful, glowing shape.

当一颗质量类似于或比太阳大几倍的恒星进入生命末期时，它的外层会被抛射到空间中。膨胀的气体被恒星中心剩余的炽热核心照亮，形成行星状星云，通常呈现出美丽而发光的形状。

When observed with a smaller amateur telescope, this particular planetary nebula shows up as a ring of material, with the star - which will cool to become a white dwarf - shining in the middle of the central hole. This appearance led astronomers to nickname IC 5148 the Spare Tyre Nebula.

当用较小的业余望远镜观测时，这个特定的行星状星云显示为一个环状结构，其中心孔中有一颗星——这颗星将冷却并成为白矮星。这种外观使天文学家给IC 5148命名为‘备用轮胎星云’。

The ESO Faint Object Spectrograph and Camera (EFOSC2) on the New Technology Telescope at La Silla gives a somewhat more elegant view of this object. Rather than looking like a spare tyre, the nebula resembles ethereal blossom with layered petals."(ESO)

位于拉西拉天文台的新型望远镜上的欧洲南方天文台浅层天体光谱仪和相机（EFOSC2）为这个天体提供了一个略显优雅的视图。它不像一个备用的轮胎，而是看起来像一个虚幻的花，具有分层的花瓣。