A new X-ray look at the mesmerizing Helix Nebula reveals an alleged planet killer: a white dwarf that might be the source of strange emissions from the nebula.
The Helix Nebula, also known as Caldwell 63, is 650 light-years from Earth, according to NASA. It's the remains of a dying star, which is gradually shedding its outer gas layers into the surrounding space. Stellar radiation causes the gas to glow like a giant ring, which stretches about 3 light-years across, according to NASA observations.
