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Credit & Copyright: Giuseppe Donatiello (Italy) and Tim Stone (USA)
Explanation:
It's easy to get lost following the intricate strands of the Spaghetti Nebula.
A supernova remnant cataloged as Simeis 147 and Sh2-240, the glowing gas filaments
cover nearly 3 degrees -- 6 full moons -- on the sky.
That's about 150
light-years at
the stellar debris cloud's estimated distance of 3,000 light-years.
This sharp composite includes image data taken through
a narrow-band filter to highlight emission from hydrogen atoms
tracing the shocked, glowing gas.
The supernova remnant has an estimated age of about 40,000
years, meaning light from the massive
stellar explosion first
reached Earth about
40,000 years ago.
But the expanding remnant is not the only
aftermath.
The cosmic catastrophe
also left behind
a spinning neutron star or pulsar,
all that remains of the original star's core.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: supernova remnant
Publications with words: supernova remnant
See also:
- APOD: 2024 September 18 Á The Mermaid Nebula Supernova Remnant
- APOD: 2024 April 16 Á Filaments of the Vela Supernova Remnant
- APOD: 2024 April 3 Á Unusual Nebula Pa 30
- APOD: 2024 March 25 Á Sonified: The Jellyfish Nebula Supernova Remnant
- APOD: 2024 February 27 Á Supernova Remnant Simeis 147
- The Pencil Nebula Supernova Shock Wave
- APOD: 2023 December 26 Á IC 443: The Jellyfish Nebula