Cold Wind From The Boomerang Nebula
Credit & Copyright: R. Sahai (JPL),
L. Nyman (ESO)
Explanation:
A cold wind blows from the central star of the Boomerang Nebula.
Seen here in a false color image of dust reflected starlight, the
nebula lies about 5,000 light-years away.
The boomerang shaped cloud appears to have been created by a
high-speed wind of gas and
dust blowing from an aging central star at speeds of over 300,000 miles per
hour.
This rapid expansion has cooled the nebular gas to
about -458 degrees Fahrenheit or 1 degree above absolute zero,
making it
the coldest region observed in
the distant Universe.
The frigid Boomerang nebula represents a unique object for astronomers and
is believed to be a star or stellar system evolving toward the
planetary nebula phase.
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.
