Posted on 09/10/2009 3:51:42 AM PDT by paul in cape
The Butterfly Nebula from Upgraded Hubble
Explanation: The bright clusters and nebulae of planet Earth's night sky are often named for flowers or insects, and NGC 6302 is no exception.
With an estimated surface temperature of about 250,000 degrees C, the central star of this particular planetary nebula is exceptionally hot though -- shining brightly in ultraviolet light but hidden from direct view by a dense torus of dust.
Above is a dramatically detailed close-up of the dying star's nebula recorded by the newly upgraded Hubble Space Telescope. Cutting across a bright cavity of ionized gas, the dust torus surrounding the central star is in the upper right corner of this view, nearly edge-on to the line-of-sight.
Molecular hydrogen has recently been detected in this hot star's dusty cosmic shroud.
NGC 6302 lies about 4,000 light-years away in the arachnologically correct constellation Scorpius.
God is so AWESOME.
Indeed.
Lots more images and info here at the official NASA Hubble Space Telescope website:
http://www.hubblesite.org/
I’m still trying to find “before and after” comparison images, because it was pretty darn good prior to the recent repairs.
Ok, the size of the explosions on MythBusters is really starting to get out of hand.
“God is so AWESOME.”
I agree, God does outstanding work!
Along with everything else, God created Beauty.
At 4000 light years away, it is just around the corner.
Just incredible.
There should be a daily ping list for these photos. I know I’d love to start my day with something like this all the time.
How anyone can deny God when we are given such beautiful and awesome sights as these is beyond me.
Thank you Jesus for the reminder that YOU ALONE are in control, not us, not the people in Washington or other heads of states around the world. For whatever may come in the months and years ahead, YOUR promises will keep us sustained and it is in YOU that we will find our strength when we are angry, confused, and afraid. Thank YOU for giving your life for us that we may be saved. Help us to always seek YOUR truth and to never think we are above humility. Amen.
“When I was young, it was a butterfly”
“Oh, well, you should see it now. It is the size of a hawk.”
Contact Freeper sig226 to be put on the ping list for the Astronomy Picture of the Day.
One light-year, the *distance* light travels in a year at its constant speed of 186,000 miles per second, works out to about 5.9 TRILLION miles. And there are galaxies at about 13-14 billion light-years away!
Space would be sort of boring if not for nebulas.
I don’t care what NASA says, I like the butterfly picture posted by BGHATER the best!
I want one!
Isn’t it amazing how all of these spectacular deep space events occur by pure random chance?
;-)
Is she wearing a thong?
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