On cosmic timescales, how long is a planetary nebula typically in its fully illuminated state?
Answer
10,000 to 50,000 years
The observable phase of a planetary nebula is extremely brief on cosmic timescales; astronomers estimate a star spends perhaps only about 10,000 to 50,000 years in this fully illuminated state before the gas disperses too thinly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What drives the complex process forming a planetary nebula?Why are these objects misleadingly named 'planetary nebulae'?What final form does a star similar in mass to our Sun assume after expelling its outer layers?Which late evolutionary phase is characterized by intense instability leading to mass loss?What energy source makes the ejected gas shell of a planetary nebula visible?Approximately what speed characterizes the initial, slow stellar wind phase of mass ejection?What interaction primarily sculpts the intricate shapes seen in planetary nebulae?On cosmic timescales, how long is a planetary nebula typically in its fully illuminated state?What common feature is theorized to cause the hourglass or dumbbell shape in bipolar planetary nebulae?What is the typical mass range (in solar masses) for stars that evolve into planetary nebulae?