Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Astronomy Picture of the Day -- IC 2118: The Witch Head Nebula
NASA ^ | January 17, 2012 | (see photo credit)

Posted on 01/16/2012 9:18:55 PM PST by SunkenCiv

click here to read article


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-38 next last
[Credit & Copyright: Gimmi Ratto & Davide Bardini (Collecting Photons)]

1 posted on 01/16/2012 9:19:10 PM PST by SunkenCiv
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: brytlea; cripplecreek; decimon; bigheadfred; KoRn; Grammy; married21; steelyourfaith; Mmogamer; ...

2 posted on 01/16/2012 9:19:56 PM PST by SunkenCiv (FReep this FReepathon!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv

An honest, although possibly dumb question: Does that dustcloud and whatever other particles make up the nebula move, drift, change shape and/or appearance over time? By that I mean; this nebula was probably given its name a long time ago. Was there a time when it looked more like a witch’s head and is slowly drifting and changing appearance? Or is the drift and change over time morphing it even more into a shape suggestive of a witch’s head?

How long ago was it named, and could there come a time when it, and other nebulae with other names morph into other shapes which may or may not be suggestive of something else, or even suggestive of nothing at all?


3 posted on 01/16/2012 9:59:27 PM PST by Tucker39
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Tucker39

Tilt your head to the right. Or basically, it looks like the side of someone’s face looking down to the right. Somewhat reminds me of the witch in the original Wizard of Oz movie.


4 posted on 01/16/2012 10:13:13 PM PST by BCR #226 (02/07 SOT www.extremefirepower.com...The BS stops when the hammer drops.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv

Who knew the liberals have a nebula!?! :)

(Sorry, I just came off a debate high where Newt make Juan eat his race bait.)


5 posted on 01/16/2012 10:19:26 PM PST by SaraJohnson
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tucker39

Time and distance are inextricably linked on the astronomical scale. This nebula is very close, at 900 ly, but very large in the sky, at 3 X 1 degrees. If we figure that the various parts of the cloud can be moving at 1/1000 the speed of light, or 200 miles per second, a high estimate, I think, we get apparent movement of 1/900,000, or say 1/1,000,000 radians per year or 60/1,000,000 degrees per year. So in 1000 years, under this assumption, we would see change on the scale of 60/1000 or .06 degrees, compared to the 1 degree scale of the scene.

So, all in all, I would say that the appearance hasn’t changed much in the last few hundred years, but over a few thousand years it may. Just “back of the envelope” !


6 posted on 01/16/2012 11:19:20 PM PST by dr_lew
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv

Hillary has her own nebula?


7 posted on 01/16/2012 11:59:40 PM PST by Secret Agent Man (I'd like to tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tucker39
Does that dustcloud and whatever other particles make up the nebula move, drift, change shape and/or appearance over time?

Yes, very slowly. You won't likely ever notice or detect movement in your life time, or the next two or so generations for that matter. In fact, unless something happened out of the ordinary within the nebula long ago, it should appear relatively the same from earth, for another 1000 years or so.

8 posted on 01/17/2012 12:55:51 AM PST by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: BCR #226
Is this where the song came from? You know;

Ding dong the witches head...

9 posted on 01/17/2012 1:49:36 AM PST by WhoisAlanGreenspan?
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv

More like, ‘witch’s face’


10 posted on 01/17/2012 4:11:14 AM PST by wolfcreek (Perry to Obama: Adios, MOFO!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv

I also have a problem seeing a witch’s head, but then, as I have noted before, my eyesight isn’t what it used to be. Happens to most of us as we get older.

I can still appreciate most of the APODs though, so thanks, SunkerCiv.


11 posted on 01/17/2012 4:40:32 AM PST by ixtl ( You live and learn. Or you don't live long.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BCR #226

I was goint to say that it looks like a Duckie or a horsie.........


12 posted on 01/17/2012 4:44:52 AM PST by PSYCHO-FREEP (If you come to a fork in the road, take it........)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv

If it were a little greener,
It would remind me of the “Angel Of Death” from DeMille’s “The Ten Commandments”!


13 posted on 01/17/2012 5:01:40 AM PST by left that other site
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv
Wow. For once, I see it very clearly. She is screaming about something, probably something about, "I'm MELTING! What a world! What a world!," and her profile is easy to discern. I see her right eye and eyebrow as well.

Thanks, Civ!
14 posted on 01/17/2012 5:46:52 AM PST by TheOldLady (FReepmail me to get ON or OFF the ZOT LIGHTNING ping list)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Tucker39

Most items like this weren’t given ‘names’ until the advent of astronomical photography. It would have to been in the last 150+ years because no one could have seen in before that.
Or, if they did, it wouldn’t look like that.


15 posted on 01/17/2012 9:51:46 AM PST by Conan the Librarian (The Best in Life is to crush my enemies, see them driven before me, and the Dewey Decimal System)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv

I’ll get you My Pretty! And your little dog too!”


16 posted on 01/17/2012 11:29:59 AM PST by brytlea (An ounce of chocolate is worth a pound of cure)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: dragnet2

My sincere thanks to all the kind folks who answered my question regarding these nebulae.
Ver-r-r-ry Inter-r-r-r-resting!


17 posted on 01/17/2012 1:51:18 PM PST by Tucker39
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: ixtl

You are viewing the right profile of her face, and her head is bowed toward the ground, while she screams at Toto. Poor little puppy....probably scared the poop out of him!


18 posted on 01/17/2012 1:55:50 PM PST by Tucker39
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Tucker39
You're welcome.

Here's one I shot not long ago of the eastern Veil Nebula NGC 6992

Veil Nebula is an old supernova remnant in the constellation Cygnus. It is the remains of cataclysmic explosion of star which exploded between 5,000 and 8,000 years ago. This nebula is about 1,860 light-years distance from our little home.

19 posted on 01/17/2012 4:53:28 PM PST by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: Secret Agent Man; WhoisAlanGreenspan?

:’)


20 posted on 01/17/2012 4:55:25 PM PST by SunkenCiv (FReep this FReepathon!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-38 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson