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 May 31
    [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest
                        resolution version available.

                        The Nebulous Realm of WR 134
                  Image Credit & [3]Copyright: [4]Xin Long

   Explanation: Made with narrowband filters, [5]this cosmic snapshot
   covers a field of view over twice as wide as the full Moon within the
   boundaries of the constellation Cygnus. It highlights the bright edge
   of a ring-like nebula traced by the glow of ionized hydrogen and oxygen
   gas. Embedded in [6]the region's expanse of interstellar clouds, the
   complex, glowing arcs are sections of shells of material [7]swept up by
   the wind from [8]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 100 light-years across. [9]Shedding their
   outer envelopes in powerful stellar winds, massive Wolf-Rayet stars
   have burned through their nuclear fuel at a [10]prodigious rate and end
   this final phase of massive star evolution in a spectacular supernova
   explosion. The stellar winds and final supernova enrich the
   interstellar material with [11]heavy elements to be incorporated in
   [12]future generations of stars.

                       Tomorrow's picture: stereo moon
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    Authors & editors: [24]Robert Nemiroff ([25]MTU) & [26]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([27]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [28]Specific rights apply.
               [29]NASA Web Privacy, [30]Accessibility 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/2405/NebulousRealmofWR134_2048.png
   3. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
   4. https://www.astrobin.com/users/xlong/
   5. https://www.astrobin.com/b2ammk/
   6. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220609.html
   7. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090915.html
   8. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230318.html
   9. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1995A&A...304..491E
  10. http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2003/ngc6888/
  11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap011026.html
  12. https://science.nasa.gov/universe/stars/
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240530.html
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  17. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  22. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=240531
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240601.html
  24. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  25. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  26. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  27. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  29. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  30. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  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/