Astronomy Picture of the Day - The Seagull Nebula

NASA ^ | 26 Jun, 2025 | Image Credit & Copyright: Timothy Martin

[MtnClimber]

Explanation: An interstellar expanse of glowing gas and obscuring dust presents a bird-like visage to astronomers from planet Earth, suggesting its popular moniker, the Seagull Nebula. This broadband portrait of the cosmic bird covers a 3.5-degree wide swath across the plane of the Milky Way, in the direction of Sirius, alpha star of the constellation of the Big Dog (Canis Major). The bright head of the Seagull Nebula is cataloged as IC 2177, a compact, dusty emission and reflection nebula with embedded massive star HD 53367. The larger emission region, encompassing objects with other catalog designations, is Likely part of an extensive shell structure swept up by successive supernova explosions. The notable bluish arc below and right of center is a bow shock from runaway star FN Canis Majoris. Dominated by the reddish glow of atomic hydrogen, this complex of interstellar gas and dust clouds with other stars of the Canis Majoris OB1 association spans over 200 light-years at the Seagull Nebula's estimated 3,800 light-year distance.

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

[MtnClimber]

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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.

[MtnClimber]

[MtnClimber]

Pinging the APOD list

🪐 🌟 🌌 🍔

[Red6]

They should have named this the Batman or just Bat nebula. LOL

[Big Red Badger]

Seagull ,
.
I see that But something
A Little more Majestic is warranted!
.
Flying Nasty Rats aka Seagulls
Just turn my stomach!

[Lurker]

Come fly with me lesbian seagull nebula…

L

[Telepathic Intruder]

I thought it was the Martian war machine Nebula.

[Seruzawa]

Seagulls are protected in Utah. Worse luck. I hate those f***ers.

[No name given]

Wow.

[telescope115]

The Jonathan Livingston Seagull Nebula…. Skybird🎶

[Big Red Badger]

I lived many years in San Diego and
Let me Agree that of all God’s creation
Seagulls...
.
Well Crows have more personality!

[AFB-XYZ]

And I ran . . .
I ran so far away . . .
And I ran . . .
I ran both night and day . . .
Couldn’t get away.

Damn song is stuck in my head now. Even worse, the singer’s hairstyle is stuck in my head. Speaking of turning the stomach . . . heh.

[Big Red Badger]

“Hey!
Flock of Seagulls!”

[BenLurkin]

Seagulls, stop it now.

[BenLurkin]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfXSO4M3qHs

[Fledermaus]

It’s my signal.

[Fledermaus]

Daniel LaRusso crane move

[MtnClimber]

Richard Bach, the author of Jonathan Livingston Seagull ended up living on the lake near me where Browns Sea Plane Basin, a sea plane training school is located. The planes from this school land on the lake where I live every day.

When I was in high school I worked at a Publix grocery store and the assistant manager lived near Browns Sea Plane Basin. He knew Richard Bach and said he was a loony tunes person.

[telescope115]

The story itself-to me- is kind of weird, but I absolutely love Neil Diamond’s score for the movie. Over 50 years later, I still love it. I consider it some of his greatest music, and I have been a fan of his for a long time.

The book and the movie I can do without. Some of the aerial shots are pretty cool, but that’s it. One of my favorite movie scores.