#skull nebula

[quiltofstars]

The Skull Nebula, NGC 246 // Pedro Goles

[of-stars-and-dust]

Astronomy Picture of the Day

2006 April 18

NGC 246 and the Dying Star

Credit: Gemini South GMOS, Travis Rector (Univ. Alaska)

Explanation: Appropriately nicknamed "the Skull Nebula", planetary nebula NGC 246 really does surround a dying star some 1,600 light-years away in the constellation Cetus. Expelled over a period of thousands of years, the lovely, intricate nebula is the outer atmosphere of a once sun-like star. The expanding outer atmosphere is interacting with the gas and dust in the interstellar medium, while the star itself, the fainter member of the binary star system seen at the nebula's center, is entering its final phase of evolution, becoming a dense, hot white dwarf. Star and nebula are moving rapidly toward the top of the detailed view, as suggested by the nebula's brighter, upper, leading edge. The sharp image spans just over 2.5 light-years at the estimated distance of NGC 246 and also reveals distant background galaxies, some visible right through the nebula along the bottom.

Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (USRA)

NASA Official: Jay Norris.

A service of: EUD at NASA / GSFC

& Michigan Tech. U.

[strawlessandbraless]

Mentally I am here

The skull Rosette nebula, a turbulent star-forming region located 5,000 light-years away in the constellation Monoceros. ✨

Image Credit: Curtis Morgan/NASA/ESA

[sitting-on-me-bum]

Ic 1805 - The Heart Nebula

Photographer David Joyce - Space From My Backyard: Pictures I Took With A Telescope

M51 - The Whirlpool Galaxy

The Cygnus Loop - A 4

M81 - Bode’s Galaxy

Ngc2244 - The Skull Nebula/Rosette Nebula

[astronomypolls]

Skull Nebula vs Cat's Paw Nebula

Skull Nebula

Cat's Paw Nebula

Voting ended onJan 29, 2024

[thepastisalreadywritten]

A human skull was found in space! 💀 (Don’t worry, it’s a nebula.)

This image was captured by amateur astrophotographer Curtis Morgan.

It depicts the Rosette Nebula, a turbulent star-forming region located 5,000 light-years away in the constellation Monoceros. ✨

By the way, there is another object nicknamed “Skull Nebula” — NGC 246. Don’t confuse them!

Image Credit: Curtis Morgan / NASA / ESA

—

The Rosette Nebula (also known as Caldwell 49) is an H II region located near one end of a giant molecular cloud in the Monoceros region of the Milky Way Galaxy.

[chibinotan]

Wide-Field Skull

[back-to-the-stars-again]

The Skull (Storm Trooper Helmet) Nebula in Cygnus.

Credit: Rod Pommier