Astronomy Picture of the Day -- A Halo for NGC 6164

NASA ^ | October 27, 2012 | (see photo credit)

[SunkenCiv]

Explanation: Beautiful emission nebula NGC 6164 was created by a rare, hot, luminous O-type star, some 40 times as massive as the Sun. Seen at the center of the cosmic cloud, the star is a mere 3 to 4 million years old. In another three to four million years the massive star will end its life in a supernova explosion. Spanning around 4 light-years, the nebula itself has a bipolar symmetry. That makes it similar in appearance to more familiar planetary nebulae - the gaseous shrouds surrounding dying sun-like stars. Also like many planetary nebulae, NGC 6164 has been found to have an extensive, faint halo, revealed in this deep telescopic image of the region. Expanding into the surrounding interstellar medium, the material in the halo is likely from an earlier active phase of the O star. The gorgeous skyscape is a composite of narrow-band image data highlighting the glowing gas, and broad-band data of the surrounding starfield. NGC 6164 is 4,200 light-years away in the southern constellation of Norma.

[SunkenCiv]

[Credit & Copyright: Don Goldman]

[SunkenCiv]

APoD's been on a real nebula roll lately, I like it.

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[left that other site]

I like it too!

Much nicer than the terrestrial pics! :-)

[bigheadfred]

That is a good pic.

[cripplecreek]

Nebulae are cool but I'm looking forward to the day when we start getting images of exoplanets. At the rate our imaging technology is advancing, it will be sooner than we think.

[TheOldLady]

Nebulae are beautiful, especially those with a crystal ball in the center, like this one.

I like the Nebula Roll as well. It’s low carb!