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.

                              2024 September 18
   [2]A starfield is shown with a long blue-glowing nebula taking up much
      of the frame. The nebula appears, to some, similar to a fish or a
     mermaid. Please see the explanation for more detailed information.

                    The Mermaid Nebula Supernova Remnant
    Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Neil Corke; Text: [4]Natalia Lewandowska
                              ([5]SUNY Oswego)

   Explanation: New [6]stars are [7]born from the [8]remnants of [9]dead
   [10]stars. The gaseous remnant of the [11]gravitational collapse and
   subsequent death of a very [12]massive star in our [13]Milky Way
   created the [14]G296.5+10.0 [15]supernova remnant, of which the
   [16]featured Mermaid Nebula is part. Also known as the [17]Betta Fish
   Nebula, the Mermaid Nebula makes up part of an unusual [18]subclass of
   supernova remnants that are [19]two-sided and nearly circular.
   Originally [20]discovered in [21]X-rays, the filamentary nebula is a
   frequently studied source also in [22]radio and [23]gamma-ray light.
   The blue color visible here originates from [24]doubly ionized oxygen
   (OIII), while the deep red is emitted by [25]hydrogen gas. The nebula's
   [26]mermaid-like shape has proven to be [27]useful for measurements of
   the [28]interstellar magnetic field.

                       Tomorrow's picture: open space
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    Authors & editors: [40]Robert Nemiroff ([41]MTU) & [42]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([43]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [44]Specific rights apply.
            [45]NASA Web Privacy, [46]Accessibility, [47]Notices;
                A service of: [48]ASD at [49]NASA / [50]GSFC,
                         [51]NASA Science Activation
                           & [52]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2409/Mermaid_Corke_4205.jpg
   3. https://www.astrobin.com/users/NeilCorke/
   4. https://ww1.oswego.edu/physics/profile/natalia-lewandowska
   5. https://www.oswego.edu/physics/
   6. https://science.nasa.gov/universe/stars/
   7. https://webbtelescope.org/contents/media/images/4190-Image
   8. https://science.nasa.gov/missions/webb/investigating-the-origins-of-the-crab-nebula-with-nasas-webb/
   9. https://science.nasa.gov/universe/the-lives-times-and-deaths-of-stars/
  10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star
  11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravitational_collapse
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap200830.html
  13. https://science.nasa.gov/resource/the-milky-way-galaxy/
  14. https://www.astrobin.com/kpl1kc/?q=Betta fish
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230115.html
  16. https://www.astrobin.com/84ogxw/
  17. https://www.astrobin.com/gcl2j7/C/
  18. https://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/objects/snrs/snrstext.html
  19. https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1992A&A...265..752S/abstract
  20. https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1979ApJ...230L..27T/abstract
  21. https://science.nasa.gov/ems/11_xrays/
  22. https://science.nasa.gov/ems/05_radiowaves/
  23. https://science.nasa.gov/ems/12_gammarays/
  24. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doubly_ionized_oxygen
  25. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen-alpha
  26. https://www.mewcats.com/cdn/shop/files/MermaidCatCostumeFunnyPhotoPropClothes_1.jpg
  27. https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2024MNRAS.528.2095E/abstract
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap210120.html
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240917.html
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  33. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  34. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  35. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  36. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  37. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  38. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=240918
  39. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240919.html
  40. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  41. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  42. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  43. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  44. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  45. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  46. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  47. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  48. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  49. https://www.nasa.gov/
  50. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  51. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  52. http://www.mtu.edu/