APOD: 2023 April 9 Б The Egg Nebula in Polarized Light
Explanation:
Where is the center of the
Egg
Nebula?
Emerging from a cosmic egg,
the star in the center of the Egg Nebula is casting away
shells of gas and dust as it slowly transforms itself into a
white dwarf
star.
The Egg Nebula is a rapidly evolving
pre-
planetary nebula
spanning about one light year.
It lies some 3,000 light-years away toward the northern constellation
Cygnus.
Thick dust blocks the center star from view,
while the dust shells farther out reflect light from this star.
Light vibrating
in the plane defined by each dust grain, the central star,
and the observer is
preferentially
reflected,
causing an effect known as polarization.
Measuring the orientation of the polarized light
for the Egg Nebula gives clues to location of the hidden source.
Taken
by Hubble's
Advanced Camera for Surveys in 2002,
this image is rendered in artifical "Easter-Egg" colors coded to
highlight
the orientation of
polarization.
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.
