#spirograph nebula

[quiltofstars]

The Spirograph Nebula, IC 418 // Adam Block

[spinningblueball]

Spirograph Nebula

[psikonauti]

The Spirograph Nebula (IC 418) shot by the Hubble Space Telescope

[cmdr-consortia]

Entry 004

02-05-3305

20:06:50

Inner Orion Spur|Flame Sector IW-N B6-0

I’ve just notice a tiny nebula surrounding just one star (like how the Spirograph Nebula does) on my galaxy map called the NGC 1999 Nebula. I think I’ll go there next after visiting the Spirograph Nebula.

Log update on 01-05-3305 at 22:23:09 in Spirograph Sector CB-W B2-0

I had way too much fun in the Spirograph Nebula, I spent an entire hour there just exploring the system and its planets. It was quite bright and beautiful, I almost didn’t want to leave…I might come back one day, if I ever get the chance.

CMDR Consortia signing off, for now.

[cosmicvastness]

IC 418: The Spirograph Nebula 

What is creating the strange texture of IC 418? Dubbed the Spirograph Nebula for its resemblance to drawings from a cyclical drawing tool, planetary nebula IC 418 shows patterns that are not well understood. Perhaps they are related to chaotic winds from the variable central star, which changes brightness unpredictably in just a few hours. By contrast, evidence indicates that only a few million years ago, IC 418 was probably a well-understood star similar to our Sun. Only a few thousand years ago, IC 418 was probably a common red giant star. Since running out of nuclear fuel, though, the outer envelope has begun expanding outward leaving a hot remnant core destined to become a white-dwarf star, visible in the image center. The light from the central core excites surrounding atoms in the nebula causing them to glow. IC 418 lies about 2000 light-years away and spans 0.3 light-years across. This false-color image taken from the Hubble Space Telescope reveals the unusual details.  Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA); Acknowledgement: R. Sahai (JPL) et al.

[alxndrasplace]

(NASA)  IC 418: The Spirograph Nebula

Image Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA); Acknowledgement: R. Sahai (JPL) et al.

What is creating the strange texture of IC 418? Dubbed the Spirograph Nebula for its resemblance to drawings from a cyclical drawing tool, planetary nebula IC 418 shows patterns that are not well understood. Perhaps they are related to chaotic winds from the variable central star, which changes brightness unpredictably in just a few hours. By contrast, evidence indicates that only a few million years ago, IC 418 was probably a well-understood star similar to our Sun. Only a few thousand years ago, IC 418 was probably a common red giant star. Since running out of nuclear fuel, though, the outer envelope has begun expanding outward leaving a hot remnant core destined to become a white dwarf star, visible in the image center. The light from the central core excites surrounding atoms in the nebula causing them to glow. IC 418 lies about 2000 light-years away and spans 0.3 light-years across. This false-color image taken by the Hubble Space Telescope reveals the unusual details.

[spinningblueball]

Spirograph Nebula

[spinningblueball]

IC 418 - Spirograph Nebula