Planetary nebulae like the Helix are sculpted late in a Sun-like star's life by a torrential gush of gases escaping from the dying star. They have nothing to do with planet formation, but got their name because they look like planetary disks when viewed through a small telescope. With higher magnification, the classic "donut-hole" in the middle of a planetary nebula can be resolved. Based on the nebula's distance of 650 light-years, its angular size corresponds to a huge ring with a diameter of nearly 3 light-years. That's approximately three-quarters of the distance between our Sun and the nearest star.

The Helix Nebula is a popular target of amateur astronomers and can be seen with binoculars as a ghostly, greenish cloud in the constellation Aquarius. Larger amateur telescopes can resolve the ring-shaped nebula, but only the largest ground-based telescopes can resolve the radial streaks. After careful analysis, astronomers concluded the nebula really isn't a bubble, but is a cylinder that happens to be pointed toward Earth.

Credit: NASA, NOAO, ESA, the Hubble Helix Nebula Team, M. Meixner (STScI), and T.A. Rector (NRAO).

An old lonely tower watching over his rough cold cliffs.

O'Briens Tower, Cliffs Of Moher, Ireland. January 2016.

Capture One Pro 9.

Canon EOS 5D Mark III, Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM.

Painted from scratch in Adobe Photoshop CS6. Think of a garden of... violets :D

A boggy planet full of swamps and moisture.

Designed in Photoshop CS6.

Texture credit: http://www.shadedrelief.com/natural3/pages/clouds.html

A panoramic view of Bryce Point shortly after sunrise. Bryce Canyon National Park.

Also take a look at the Multi-Monitor wide panorama version!

Adobe Photoshop CC.

Canon EOS Rebel T3i, Sigma 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC MACRO OS HSM | C.

Photo Settings: 25mm, f/14, 1/15 second, ISO 100.

Saw the storm system rolling in and went for a small hike to capture the storm rolling to our East. It was definitely worth it.

Canon EOS 5D Mark III, Sigma 24-105mm F4 DG OS HSM.

Photo Settings: 24mm, f/4, 15 seconds, ISO 50.

I took this picture in Yellowstone National Park, at around 6am. The mist had subsided partially as the Sun came up but was reluctant to leave, lingering on the surface.

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.

Nikon D600, Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 16-35mm f/4G ED VR.

Photo Settings: 16mm, f/22, 1/8 second, ISO 50.

This was taken on the south shore in Kauai near Poi'pu. The crew of this boat would sail people towards the sunset while providing diner to couples aboard. I wanted to capture and edit this photo in a way that would give it a feeling of a peaceful dream. Enjoy!

Adobe Lightroom 5, Sigma 17-50mm F/2.8 FLD HSM.

Sony SLT-A58.

I almost didn't shoot at all. I didn't have solar filters, and didn't want to risk missing anything, but I decided to pop off a couple shots during totality while viewing the eclipse from a friend's property in Madras, Oregon. It was one of the most amazing two minutes of my life. An experience I will hold close forever.

Shot with a Sony A7rii and a Canon 70-200mm f4 IS.

Sony Alpha 7R.

Tree canopy. Moulton Falls, Washington. Spring 2014.

Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop. Samsung NX30.

, Samsung NX 10mm F3.5 Fisheye.

Photo Settings: 10mm, f/22, 1/80 second, ISO 400.