<p>When collapsing to a white dwarf, a red giant Sun would emit a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_nebula" rel="nofollow noreferrer">planetary nebula</a>. How far from the Sun would that nebula stretch at most?</p>
<p>Also: At about what distance could you see the planetary nebula completely in all its beauty, I mean so that the entire nebula would match into your eye's field of view? The Earth and Mars would be deep within the nebula I guess, as well as the main asteroid belt. If you watched the Sun from Eris' aphelion or Sedna's perihelion, I guess that would be best to observe the entire nebula or ain't I correct? And what would the nebula look like from Proxima Centauri b?</p>
<p>In other words, how close to the Sun's planetary nebula can you be and still see it entirely in its beauty?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-22T13:57:22.477Z
I think this is more of an opinion-based question, closed.
WarpPrime
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-22T14:13:39.123Z
@fasterthanlight How is this question opinion-based? Don't we know how far the Sun's planetary nebula would stretch? I edited the question a bit so that it doesn't look opinion-based at all.
Plutos Loyer
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2021-01-22T14:37:36.710Z
@peterh-ReinstateMonica In my question, read the last part of the 2nd sentence again.
Plutos Loyer
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2021-01-22T15:52:07.753Z
Nebulae don't have clear borders. They are made out of the particles. The density is the biggest at the center and falls to the "edges". You should specify the density of the matter at the edges, for example, to give us enough information.
User123
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-22T15:57:33.177Z
I edited your title and retracted my close vote, but please consider to update the body, understanding the answer, too. If you did it and your question is closed, ping me in a comment and I will cast a reopen vote. You question has now 2 close votes as "opinion based", **edit it to ask for a so objective answer as possible**.
peterh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-22T16:26:48.597Z
@peterh-ReinstateMonica I edited my question again but I see how it's hard to define a visible planetary nebula. If this question gets closed, I'll ask vice versa: what the nebula would look like from a certain planet/distance.
Plutos Loyer
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-23T07:15:08.903Z
@B--rian Thank you for the edit.
Plutos Loyer
<observational-astronomy><the-sun><stellar-evolution><nebula>
From what distance could the Sun's planetary nebula be seen entirely with free eye?
Plutos Loyer
# From what distance could the Sun's planetary nebula be seen entirely with free eye?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-01-22)

When collapsing to a white dwarf, a red giant Sun would emit a [planetary nebula](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_nebula). How far from the Sun would that nebula stretch at most?

Also: At about what distance could you see the planetary nebula completely in all its beauty, I mean so that the entire nebula would match into your eye's field of view? The Earth and Mars would be deep within the nebula I guess, as well as the main asteroid belt. If you watched the Sun from Eris' aphelion or Sedna's perihelion, I guess that would be best to observe the entire nebula or ain't I correct? And what would the nebula look like from Proxima Centauri b?

In other words, how close to the Sun's planetary nebula can you be and still see it entirely in its beauty?

**Tags:** observational-astronomy, the-sun, stellar-evolution, nebula

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I think this is more of an opinion-based question, closed.  
> **username_0**: @fasterthanlight How is this question opinion-based? Don't we know how far the Sun's planetary nebula would stretch? I edited the question a bit so that it doesn't look opinion-based at all.  
> **username_0**: @username_3-ReinstateMonica In my question, read the last part of the 2nd sentence again.  
> **username_2**: Nebulae don't have clear borders. They are made out of the particles. The density is the biggest at the center and falls to the "edges". You should specify the density of the matter at the edges, for example, to give us enough information.  
> **username_3**: I edited your title and retracted my close vote, but please consider to update the body, understanding the answer, too. If you did it and your question is closed, ping me in a comment and I will cast a reopen vote. You question has now 2 close votes as "opinion based", **edit it to ask for a so objective answer as possible**.  
> **username_0**: @username_3-ReinstateMonica I edited my question again but I see how it's hard to define a visible planetary nebula. If this question gets closed, I'll ask vice versa: what the nebula would look like from a certain planet/distance.  
> **username_0**: @B--rian Thank you for the edit.  

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