Posted on 10/12/2022 2:02:37 PM PDT by MtnClimber
Explanation: A mysterious squid-like cosmic cloud, this nebula is very faint, but also very large in planet Earth's sky. In the image, composed with 30 hours of narrowband image data, it spans nearly three full moons toward the royal constellation Cepheus. Discovered in 2011 by French astro-imager Nicolas Outters, the Squid Nebula's bipolar shape is distinguished here by the telltale blue-green 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, a more recent 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.
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.
“squid-like”
Yes, I suppose that’s the PG way to describe it...
And here I always thought all the squids were sailors...
Or, we could just need a really, really, REALLY big punch bowl for that floater . . . Heh.
So we have located the Kraken. And we’re sending Tom Cruise up as bait.
We need to send Johnny Depp up.
Time for Space Pirates of the Carribean.
Too easy.
Not going there.
3 full Moons… that’s a lot of celestial real estate.
I bet Mayor Pete is sitting somewhere smiling and imagining.
Brokeback Mountain?
Ah... that ain’t no squid!
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