“I swing the telescope toward Aquarius, using the finder to ensure that the Helix Nebula is within range. After fixing my position, I peer through the eyepiece, eventually finding the smoky oval of the nebula set against a triangle of stars. With time and patience, I begin to see more details: the two interlocking coils and the darker center of the nebula. It’s so ghost-like, this dying star. I look at the haze, knowing that the light is coming from the planetary nebula shedding its outer layers. I had seen more focused images of the Helix Nebula online—colorful pictures from infrared and ultraviolet NASA telescopes. The image I pick up is nothing that spectacular. But it is a vision nonetheless. I try my best to focus on the beauty, but all I can think about is how its interlocking coils are unraveling minute by minute, exposing the center to indifferent darkness.”