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Q&A: Normal Stars, White Dwarf Stars, and Star
Clusters
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Q:
The term "Planetary Nebula" seems misleading. Why are they called that?
A:
The definition of the
term "planetary nebula" is historically correct, but the term is a
misnomer. Some planetary nebulas appeared to look like giant planets,
specifically Uranus, when viewed through a small telescope by William
Herschel, who coined the term. Astronomy is a very old field of study, so
historical artifacts like this are not rare.
Planetary nebulas are really shells of gas cast off by evolved, Sun-like
stars. The Sun should experience this phase in a few billion years.
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