Variable Star V838 Monocerotis

V838 Monocerotis

Variable star V838 Monocerotis lies near the edge of our Milky Way Galaxy, about 20,000 light-years from the Sun. A sudden outburst was detected in January 2002 and caused scientists to observe the star more closely. The colors are formed by light from the stellar flash echoing across pre-existing dust shells around V838 Mon. This portion of the dust shell is about six light-years in diameter. But because light reflected from the dust follows only a slightly indirect path compared to the direct line-of-sight to the star, the light echoes visible now are only lagging about two years behind the outburst itself. Astronomers expect the expanding echoes to continue to light up the area of V838 Mon for at least the rest of the current decade.

The Witch's Broom Nebula



NGC 6960: The Witch's Broom Nebula

 This nebula is a reminent of a super nova explosion that occured roughly 10,000 years ago. This portion of the image, NGC 6960, is part of a bigger nebula called the Veil Nebula. The star exploded and interstellar shock wave plowed through space and excited interstellar material. The filaments have separated into atomic hydrogen (red) and oxygen (blue-green) gas. The complete supernova remnant lies about 1400 light-years away towards the constellation Cygnus. This huge nebula, about 35 light years in length, is a reminder of the death of a giant star.

Lagoon Nebula

 This beautiful cosmic cloud is located in the constellation Sagittarius. Eighteenth century astronomer Charles Messier cataloged the bright nebula as M8. It is now called the Lagoon Nebula and it is classified as an active stellar nursery about 5,000 light-years away, in the direction of the center of our Milky Way Galaxy. The Lagoon's filaments are of glowing gas and dark dust clouds. Twisting near the center of the Lagoon, the small, bright hourglass shape is the turbulent result of extreme stellar winds and intense starlight. At the nebula's estimated distance, the picture spans over 60 light-years

Lagoon Nebula