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.

                                 2023 May 18
    [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest
                        resolution version available.

                             WR 134 Ring Nebula
                Image Credit & [3]Copyright: [4]Craig Stocks

   Explanation: Made with narrowband filters, this [5]cosmic snapshot
   covers a field of view about the size of the full Moon within the
   boundaries of the constellation Cygnus. It highlights the bright edge
   of a ring-like nebula traced by the [6]glow of ionized sulfur,
   hydrogen, and oxygen gas. Embedded in [7]the region's interstellar
   clouds of gas and dust, the complex, glowing arcs are sections of
   bubbles or shells of material [8]swept up by the wind from
   [9]Wolf-Rayet star WR 134, brightest star near the center of the frame.
   Distance estimates put WR 134 about 6,000 light-years away, making the
   frame over 50 light-years across. [10]Shedding their outer envelopes in
   powerful stellar winds, massive Wolf-Rayet stars have burned through
   their nuclear fuel at a [11]prodigious rate and end this final phase of
   massive star evolution in a spectacular supernova explosion. The
   stellar winds and final supernovae enrich the interstellar material
   with [12]heavy elements to be incorporated in [13]future generations of
   stars.

                   Tomorrow's picture: curly spiral galaxy
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    Authors & editors: [25]Robert Nemiroff ([26]MTU) & [27]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([28]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Phillip Newman [29]Specific rights apply.
              [30]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                A service of: [31]ASD at [32]NASA / [33]GSFC,
                         [34]NASA Science Activation
                           & [35]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2305/WR134SHO.jpg
   3. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
   4. https://www.facebook.com/craigstocksphotography/
   5. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10223414230199977&set=a.3219810570180
   6. https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/585450-ok-ill-ask-it-what-are-definitions-of-sho-and-hoo/
   7. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220609.html
   8. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090915.html
   9. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230318.html
  10. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1995A&A...304..491E
  11. http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2003/ngc6888/
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap011026.html
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120517.html
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230517.html
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  18. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  23. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=230518
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230519.html
  25. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  26. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  27. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  28. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  30. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  31. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  32. https://www.nasa.gov/
  33. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  34. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  35. http://www.mtu.edu/