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Astronomy Picture of the Day - The Variable Nebula NGC 2261
NASA ^ | 31 Jan, 2025 | Image Credit & Copyright: Tommy Lease (Denver Astronomical Society)

Posted on 01/31/2025 11:45:26 AM PST by MtnClimber

Explanation: The interstellar cloud of dust and gas captured in this sharp telescopic snapshot is seen to change its appearance noticeably over periods as short as a few weeks. Discovered over 200 years ago and cataloged as NGC 2261, bright star R Monocerotis lies at the tip of the fan-shaped nebula. About one light-year across and 2500 light-years away, NGC 2261 was studied early last century by astronomer Edwin Hubble and the mysterious cosmic cloud is now more famous as Hubble's Variable Nebula. So what makes Hubble's nebula vary? NGC 2261 is composed of a dusty reflection nebula fanning out from the star R Monocerotis. The leading variability explanation holds that dense knots of obscuring dust pass close to R Mon and cast moving shadows across the dust clouds in the rest of Hubble's Variable Nebula.


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; nasa
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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.

1 posted on 01/31/2025 11:45:26 AM PST by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

2 posted on 01/31/2025 11:45:47 AM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: 21stCenturion; 21twelve; 4everontheRight; A Navy Vet; A_perfect_lady; abb; AFB-XYZ; AFPhys; ...
Pinging the APOD list

🪐 🌟 🌌 🍔

3 posted on 01/31/2025 11:46:47 AM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

If it’s ‘variable’ what is it when it’s not a nebula?..............


4 posted on 01/31/2025 11:54:15 AM PST by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: Red Badger

Maybe it is a nonbinary identity nebula that has the pronouns Him/Her/They.


5 posted on 01/31/2025 11:59:13 AM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber
… is seen to change its appearance noticeably over periods as short as a few weeks.

Wouldn’t appearance changes over a few weeks mean the substances would be traveling at fantastic speeds well in excess of the speed of light?

6 posted on 01/31/2025 12:06:38 PM PST by immadashell (Save Innocent Lives: Ban Gun Free Zones)
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To: MtnClimber

“The leading variability explanation holds that dense knots of obscuring dust pass close to R Mon and cast moving shadows across the dust clouds in the rest of Hubble’s Variable Nebula.”

So basically, an outer space Disco Ball! :)


7 posted on 01/31/2025 12:09:45 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
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To: immadashell

You would think there would be ripples of brightness across 1 light year of dust, but maybe the cycle of variance is detectable over weeks, but maybe a complete cycle takes years. There was not enough information given in this NASA post.


8 posted on 01/31/2025 12:13:51 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

” PLOP PLOP FIZZ FIZZ”
Looks like a a dissolving Alka-Seltzer Tablet!
*grin*


9 posted on 01/31/2025 3:17:12 PM PST by MS.BEHAVIN (Women who behave rarely make history!)
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