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 June 17
    [2]A starfield has a red nebula covering much of the frame but in the
     center, extending nearly vertically, is a blue nebula that appears
     shaped, to some, like a squid. Please see the explanation for more
                            detailed information.

                         Ou4: The Giant Squid Nebula
                   Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Alex Linde

   Explanation: Squids on Earth aren't this big. This mysterious
   squid-like cosmic cloud spans nearly three [4]full moons on planet
   Earth's sky. [5]Discovered in 2011 by French astro-imager [6]Nicolas
   Outters, the Squid Nebula's [7]bipolar shape is distinguished [8]here
   by the telltale blue [9]emission from doubly ionized [10]oxygen atoms.
   Though apparently [11]surrounded by the reddish hydrogen emission
   region Sh2-129, the true distance and nature of the Squid Nebula have
   been [12]difficult to determine. Still, one [13]investigation suggests
   Ou4 really does lie [14]within Sh2-129 some 2,300 light-years away.
   Consistent with that scenario, the cosmic squid would represent a
   spectacular outflow of material driven by a [15]triple system of hot,
   massive stars, cataloged as [16]HR8119, seen near the center of the
   nebula. If so, this truly giant squid nebula would physically be over
   50 [17]light-years across.

                      Tomorrow's picture: thunder jets
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    Authors & editors: [29]Robert Nemiroff ([30]MTU) & [31]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([32]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [33]Specific rights apply.
            [34]NASA Web Privacy, [35]Accessibility, [36]Notices;
                A service of: [37]ASD at [38]NASA / [39]GSFC,
                         [40]NASA Science Activation
                           & [41]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2406/SquidOu4_Linde_4010.jpg
   3. https://www.instagram.com/astro_photo_alex/
   4. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220612.html
   5. https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2012RMxAA..48..223A/abstract
   6. http://outters.fr/wp/?page_id=50
   7. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230416.html
   8. https://www.instagram.com/p/C7g5JleMv90/
   9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nebulium
  10. https://youtu.be/uPK_rSf1WUc
  11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230817.html
  12. https://www.shutterstock.com/shutterstock/videos/1048890202/thumb/1.jpg
  13. https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014A&A...570A.105C/abstract
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap210723.html
  15. http://www.atlasoftheuniverse.com/orbits.html
  16. https://in-the-sky.org/data/object.php?id=TYC3965-880-1#google_vignette
  17. https://science.nasa.gov/exoplanets/what-is-a-light-year/
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240616.html
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  22. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  24. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  27. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=240617
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240618.html
  29. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  30. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  31. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  32. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  33. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  34. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  35. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  36. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  37. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  38. https://www.nasa.gov/
  39. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  40. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  41. http://www.mtu.edu/