apod
06-26-08, 12:41 PM
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0806/M27FTN_szymanek_c800.jpg (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0806/M27FTN_szymanek.jpg) M27: Not A Comet
Credit & Copyright (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply): Nik Szymanek (http://www.ccdland.com/),w/Faulkes Telescope North (http://faulkes-telescope.com/)
Explanation: Born on June 26th in 1730,astronomer Charles Messier (http://www.seds.org/messier/xtra/history/biograph.html) scanned 18th century French skiesfor comets.To avoid confusion and aid his comet hunting, hediligently recorded this object as number 27 onhislist of things (http://www.seds.org/messier/xtra/history/m-cat.html) which are definitely not comets.In fact, 21st century astronomers would classify it as aPlanetaryNebula (http://www.seds.org/messier/planetar.html), but it's not a planet either, even though it mayappear round (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap030614.html)and planet-like in a small telescope.Messier 27 (M27) is nowknown to be an excellent example of agaseous emission nebula (http://www.astro.washington.edu/balick/WFPC2/) createdas a sun-like star runs out (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap050123.html)of nuclear fuel in its core.The nebula forms as the star's outer layers are expelled intospace, with a visible glow generated by atoms excited by the dyingstar's intense but invisibleultraviolet light (http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/science/know_l1/emspectrum.html).Known by the popular name of theDumbbellNebula (http://www.seds.org/messier/m/m027.html), the beautifullysymmetric interstellar gas cloud is over 2.5 light-years across andabout 1,200 light-years away in theconstellationVulpecula (http://hawastsoc.org/deepsky/vul/index.html).This impressive color composite highlights subtle jetfeatures in the nebula.It was recorded with a robotictelescope sited in Hawaii using narrow bandfilters sensitive to emission from oxygen atoms (shown ingreen) and hydrogen atoms.The hydrogenemission is (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balmer_series)seen as red (H-alpha) and fainterbluish hues (H-beta).
Source (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap080626.html)
Credit & Copyright (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply): Nik Szymanek (http://www.ccdland.com/),w/Faulkes Telescope North (http://faulkes-telescope.com/)
Explanation: Born on June 26th in 1730,astronomer Charles Messier (http://www.seds.org/messier/xtra/history/biograph.html) scanned 18th century French skiesfor comets.To avoid confusion and aid his comet hunting, hediligently recorded this object as number 27 onhislist of things (http://www.seds.org/messier/xtra/history/m-cat.html) which are definitely not comets.In fact, 21st century astronomers would classify it as aPlanetaryNebula (http://www.seds.org/messier/planetar.html), but it's not a planet either, even though it mayappear round (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap030614.html)and planet-like in a small telescope.Messier 27 (M27) is nowknown to be an excellent example of agaseous emission nebula (http://www.astro.washington.edu/balick/WFPC2/) createdas a sun-like star runs out (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap050123.html)of nuclear fuel in its core.The nebula forms as the star's outer layers are expelled intospace, with a visible glow generated by atoms excited by the dyingstar's intense but invisibleultraviolet light (http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/science/know_l1/emspectrum.html).Known by the popular name of theDumbbellNebula (http://www.seds.org/messier/m/m027.html), the beautifullysymmetric interstellar gas cloud is over 2.5 light-years across andabout 1,200 light-years away in theconstellationVulpecula (http://hawastsoc.org/deepsky/vul/index.html).This impressive color composite highlights subtle jetfeatures in the nebula.It was recorded with a robotictelescope sited in Hawaii using narrow bandfilters sensitive to emission from oxygen atoms (shown ingreen) and hydrogen atoms.The hydrogenemission is (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balmer_series)seen as red (H-alpha) and fainterbluish hues (H-beta).
Source (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap080626.html)