Nebula Nova Cygni Turns On
Explanation:
Old photographs show no evidence of the above
nebula. In 1992, a white dwarf star in
Cygnus
blew off its outer layers in a
classical nova explosion:
an event called
Nova Cygni 1992.
Light flooded the local interstellar neighborhood, illuminated
this existing gas cloud,
excited the existing hydrogen,
and hence caused the red emission. The only gas actually expelled
by the
nova
can be seen as a small red ball just above the photograph's center.
Eventually, light from the
nova shell
will fade, and this nebula will again become invisible!
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
