Skip to comments.
Astronomy Picture of the Day - Planetary Nebula Mz3: The Ant Nebula
APOD.NASA.gov ^
| 25 Apr, 2021
| Image Credit: R. Sahai (JPL) et al., Hubble Heritage Team, ESA, NASA
Posted on 04/25/2021 3:26:34 PM PDT by MtnClimber
Explanation: Why isn't this ant a big sphere? Planetary nebula Mz3 is being cast off by a star similar to our Sun that is, surely, round. Why then would the gas that is streaming away create an ant-shaped nebula that is distinctly not round? Clues might include the high 1000-kilometer per second speed of the expelled gas, the light-year long length of the structure, and the magnetism of the star featured here at the nebula's center. One possible answer is that Mz3 is hiding a second, dimmer star that orbits close in to the bright star. A competing hypothesis holds that the central star's own spin and magnetic field are channeling the gas. Since the central star appears to be so similar to our own Sun, astronomers hope that increased understanding of the history of this giant space ant can provide useful insight into the likely future of our own Sun and Earth.
TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: antnebula; nasa; nebula
To be added or removed from the Astronomy Picture of the Day ping list please send me a request via "Private Reply" (Mail). For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then move the magnifying glass cursor then click to zoom in and click again to zoom out. When zoomed in you can scan by moving the side bars on the bottom and right side of the image.
To: MtnClimber
2
posted on
04/25/2021 3:27:13 PM PDT
by
MtnClimber
(For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screeen name for my FR home page.)
To: 21stCenturion; 21twelve; 4everontheRight; abb; AFB-XYZ; America_Right; Art in Idaho; AZ .44 MAG; ...
Pinging the APOD list.
đȘ đ đ
There is a smart pet hidden in the hot links at the link to this post.
3
posted on
04/25/2021 3:27:50 PM PDT
by
MtnClimber
(For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screeen name for my FR home page.)
To: MtnClimber
Please identify all those stars and galaxies in the background. :)
4
posted on
04/25/2021 3:29:12 PM PDT
by
Fungi
To: Fungi
My IQ is really low for something like dat. This is how I gets to work:
5
posted on
04/25/2021 3:36:30 PM PDT
by
MtnClimber
(For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screeen name for my FR home page.)
To: Fungi
I try to act dumb and don’t work so I will get more per month on my EBT card!
6
posted on
04/25/2021 3:38:23 PM PDT
by
MtnClimber
(For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screeen name for my FR home page.)
To: MtnClimber
Are you using the Biden plan for cutting down on fossil fuels? Unlike the rest of us earth-killers, he gets to take his jumbo jet.
To: MtnClimber
8
posted on
04/25/2021 4:04:44 PM PDT
by
Bullish
(CNN is what happens when 8th graders run a cable network.)
To: MtnClimber
Youâre late for work a lot arenât you?
That did make me laugh.
9
posted on
04/25/2021 4:21:22 PM PDT
by
blueunicorn6
("A crack shot and a good dancerâ)
To: MtnClimber
Good thing she steered to the left.
She was going off the road.
10
posted on
04/25/2021 4:23:03 PM PDT
by
blueunicorn6
("A crack shot and a good dancerâ)
To: MtnClimber
Astronomers think this looks like an ant?
Waste of time buying them ant killer.
11
posted on
04/25/2021 4:41:25 PM PDT
by
blueunicorn6
("A crack shot and a good dancerâ)
To: blueunicorn6
That sun-like star probably had a planet populated by why-peepol that were making it warm. The star went all antifa and blew up then it turned into a giant ant so it could eat those why-peepol like they was just so many cheeseburgers!
12
posted on
04/25/2021 5:13:10 PM PDT
by
MtnClimber
(For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screeen name for my FR home page.)
To: MtnClimber
Reminds me of the Galaga arcade game.
13
posted on
04/25/2021 5:20:08 PM PDT
by
moovova
(Yo GOP....we won't forget.)
To: MtnClimber; Lazamataz
Laz, yer girl got out again...
14
posted on
04/25/2021 7:06:23 PM PDT
by
null and void
(When you put bad people in charge expect bad things to happen, often in a spectacular and sudden way)
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.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson