Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                               2025 January 8
   [2]A star field appears that has several nebulas. Toward the upper left
    is a angularly small supernova remnant colored blue, while dominating
     the lower right is a large supernova remnant in both red and blue.
          Please see the explanation for more detailed information.

                      Supernova Remnants Big and Small
      Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Stéphane Vetter ([4]Nuits sacrées)

   Explanation: What happens after a star explodes? A [5]huge fireball of
   hot gas shoots out in all directions. When this gas slams into the
   existing [6]interstellar medium, it heats up so much it glows. Two
   different [7]supernova remnants (SNRs) are visible in the featured
   image, taken at the [8]Oukaïmeden [9]Observatory in [10]Morocco. The
   [11]blue soccer ball-looking nebula toward the upper left is [12]SNR
   G179.0+02.6, which appears to be the smaller one. [13]This supernova,
   about 11,000 light years distant, detonated about 50,000 years ago.
   Although composed mostly of [14]hydrogen gas, the blue light is emitted
   by a trace amount of [15]oxygen. The seemingly larger SNR, dominating
   the lower right of the frame, is the Spaghetti Nebula, cataloged as
   [16]Simeis 147 and sh2-240. This supernova, only about 3,000 [17]light
   years away, exploded about 40,000 years ago. Comparatively, even though
   they [18]appear different sizes, both supernova remnants are not only
   roughly the same age, but about the same size, too.

                       Tomorrow's picture: open space
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    Authors & editors: [30]Robert Nemiroff ([31]MTU) & [32]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([33]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [34]Specific rights apply.
            [35]NASA Web Privacy, [36]Accessibility, [37]Notices;
                A service of: [38]ASD at [39]NASA / [40]GSFC,
                         [41]NASA Science Activation
                           & [42]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2501/Supernovas_Vetter_1653.jpg
   3. https://www.facebook.com/stephane.vetter.nuitsacrees
   4. http://www.nuitsacrees.fr/
   5. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap171016.html
   6. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap190605.html
   7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supernova_remnant
   8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oukaïmeden_Observatory
   9. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/1ZeMqQz-U5o
  10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morocco
  11. https://storage.googleapis.com/pod_public/1300/174757.jpg
  12. https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/915305-snr-g179026-a-buckyball-in-auriga/
  13. https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article/478/2/1987/4983130
  14. https://periodic.lanl.gov/1.shtml
  15. https://periodic.lanl.gov/8.shtml
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240227.html
  17. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/light-year/
  18. https://www.blueridgehumane.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cats-3971069_1280-1030x773.jpg
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250107.html
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  23. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  25. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  28. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=250108
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250109.html
  30. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  31. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  32. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  33. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  34. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  35. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  36. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  37. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  38. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  39. https://www.nasa.gov/
  40. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  41. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  42. http://www.mtu.edu/