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.

                              2025 February 18
    [2]A tall starscape appears to have two bright nebulas. The large one
    at the top is colored mostly red and is known as the Seagull Nebula.
    The small one near the bottom right is known as Thor's Helmet. Please
             see the explanation for more detailed information.

                      Thor's Helmet versus the Seagull
   Image Credit & Copyright: Nicolas Martino, Adrien Soto, Louis Leroux &
                               [3]Yann Sainty

   Explanation: Seen as a seagull and a duck, these nebulae are not the
   only [4]cosmic clouds to [5]evoke images of flight. But both are
   winging their way across this broad celestial landscape, spanning
   almost 7 degrees across [6]planet Earth's night sky toward the
   constellation of the Big Dog ([7]Canis Major). The [8]expansive Seagull
   (top center) [9]is itself composed of two major cataloged [10]emission
   nebulas. Brighter NGC 2327 forms the head with the more diffuse IC 2177
   as the wings and body. Impressively, the Seagull's wingspan would
   correspond to about 250 [11]light-years at the nebula's estimated
   distance of 3,800 light-years. At the lower right, the Duck appears
   much more compact and would span only about 50 light-years given its
   15,000 light-year distance estimate. Blown by [12]energetic winds from
   an extremely massive, hot star near its center, the Duck nebula is
   cataloged as NGC 2359. Of course, the Duck's thick body and winged
   appendages also lend it the slightly more [13]dramatic popular moniker,
   [14]Thor's Helmet.

                 Portal Universe: [15]Random APOD Generator
                   Tomorrow's picture: star system forming
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    Authors & editors: [27]Robert Nemiroff ([28]MTU) & [29]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([30]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [31]Specific rights apply.
            [32]NASA Web Privacy, [33]Accessibility, [34]Notices;
                A service of: [35]ASD at [36]NASA / [37]GSFC,
                         [38]NASA Science Activation
                           & [39]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2502/SeagullThor_Martino_5149.jpg
   3. https://www.astrobin.com/users/yann_sainty/
   4. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap080719.html
   5. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap221121.html
   6. https://science.nasa.gov/earth/facts/
   7. http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/constellations/canismajor.html
   8. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090327.html
   9. https://www.flickr.com/photos/113243238@N08/38742044570/
  10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emission_nebula
  11. https://science.nasa.gov/exoplanets/what-is-a-light-year/
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250203.html
  13. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/3M2YKeaTXIY/hq720.jpg
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240109.html
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/random_apod.html
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250217.html
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  20. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  22. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  25. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=250218
  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250219.html
  27. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  28. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  29. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  30. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  32. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  33. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  34. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  35. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  36. https://www.nasa.gov/
  37. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  38. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  39. http://www.mtu.edu/