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Credit & Copyright: Massimo Di Fusco
Explanation:
Difficult to capture,
this mysterious, squid-shaped
interstellar cloud spans nearly three full moons in planet Earth's sky.
Discovered in 2011 by French astro-imager
Nicolas Outters,
the Squid Nebula's
bipolar shape is distinguished
here by the telltale blue
emission from
doubly ionized oxygen atoms.
Though apparently
surrounded by
the reddish hydrogen emission region Sh2-129,
the true distance and nature of the Squid
Nebula have been difficult to determine.
Still, one
investigation
suggests Ou4 really does lie within Sh2-129 some 2,300 light-years away.
Consistent with that scenario, the cosmic squid
would represent a spectacular outflow of material driven by a
triple
system
of hot, massive stars, cataloged as
HR8119,
seen near the center of the nebula.
If so, this truly giant squid nebula would physically be over 50
light-years
across.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: emission nebula
Publications with words: emission nebula
See also:
- APOD: 2025 July 16 B The Rosette Nebula from DECam
- APOD: 2025 June 26 B The Seagull Nebula
- NGC 6164: A Dragon s Egg
- APOD: 2025 February 18 B Thors Helmet versus the Seagull
- APOD: 2025 February 11 B The Spider and the Fly
- APOD: 2024 December 17 B Near to the Heart Nebula
- The Elephant s Trunk in Cepheus