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.

                              2022 November 21
    [2]The featured image shows the Butterfly Nebula as imaged by Hubble.
    The nebula appears very colorful due to a expansive color map used by
   the digitizing processor. Please see the explanation for more detailed
                                information.

                      The Butterfly Nebula from Hubble
      Image Credit: [3]NASA, [4]ESA, [5]Hubble; Processing: [6]William
                                   Ostling

   Explanation: Stars can make beautiful patterns as they age -- sometimes
   similar to flowers or insects. NGC 6302, the [7]Butterfly Nebula, is a
   notable example. Though its gaseous wingspan covers over 3
   [8]light-years and its estimated surface temperature exceeds 200,000
   degrees [9]C, the aging central star of NGC 6302, the featured
   [10]planetary nebula, has become exceptionally hot, shining brightly in
   [11]visible and [12]ultraviolet light but [13]hidden from direct view
   by a dense torus of dust. [14]This sharp close-up was recorded by the
   [15]Hubble Space Telescope and is processed here to show off remarkable
   details of the complex [16]planetary nebula, highlighting in particular
   light emitted by [17]oxygen (shown as blue), [18]hydrogen (green), and
   [19]nitrogen (red). [20]NGC 6302 lies about 3,500 light-years away in
   the [21]arachnologically correct constellation of the Scorpion
   ([22]Scorpius). [23]Planetary nebulas evolve from outer atmospheres of
   [24]stars like our [25]Sun, but usually fade in about 20,000 years.

                      Tomorrow's picture: double space
     __________________________________________________________________

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    Authors & editors: [37]Robert Nemiroff ([38]MTU) & [39]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([40]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Phillip Newman [41]Specific rights apply.
              [42]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                A service of: [43]ASD at [44]NASA / [45]GSFC,
                         [46]NASA Science Activation
                           & [47]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2211/Butterfly_HubbleOstling_3656.jpg
   3. https://www.nasa.gov/
   4. https://www.esa.int/
   5. https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/story/index.html
   6. https://theastroenthusiast.com/about-me/
   7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly
   8. https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/faq/26/what-is-a-light-year/
   9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celsius
  10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_nebula
  11. https://science.nasa.gov/ems/09_visiblelight
  12. https://science.nasa.gov/ems/10_ultravioletwaves
  13. https://i.pinimg.com/originals/16/1b/e4/161be4b2491d08713813d5082b43280d.jpg
  14. https://www.instagram.com/p/CgZW04XuK6S/
  15. https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/story/index.html
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap190929.html
  17. https://periodic.lanl.gov/8.shtml
  18. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H-alpha
  19. https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/news/new-insights-into-how-earth-got-its-nitrogen/
  20. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NGC_6302
  21. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arachnid
  22. http://hawastsoc.org/deepsky/sco/index.html
  23. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_nebula
  24. https://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/focus-areas/how-do-stars-form-and-evolve
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap190526.html
  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap221120.html
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  30. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss
  33. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  34. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  35. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=221121
  36. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap221122.html
  37. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  38. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  39. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  40. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  41. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  42. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  43. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  44. https://www.nasa.gov/
  45. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  46. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  47. http://www.mtu.edu/