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Astronomy Picture of the Day -- NGC 6888: The Crescent Nebula
NASA ^ | August 16, 2012 | (see photo credit)

Posted on 08/16/2012 3:40:44 PM PDT by SunkenCiv

Explanation: NGC 6888, also known as the Crescent Nebula, is a cosmic bubble about 25 light-years across, blown by winds from its central, bright, massive star. This colorful portrait of the nebula uses narrow band image data combined in the Hubble palatte. It shows emission from sulfur, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms in the wind-blown nebula in red, green and blue hues. NGC 6888's central star is classified as a Wolf-Rayet star (WR 136). The star is shedding its outer envelope in a strong stellar wind, ejecting the equivalent of the Sun's mass every 10,000 years. The nebula's complex structures are likely the result of this strong wind interacting with material ejected in an earlier phase. Burning fuel at a prodigious rate and near the end of its stellar life this star should ultimately go out with a bang in a spectacular supernova explosion. Found in the nebula rich constellation Cygnus, NGC 6888 is about 5,000 light-years away.

August 16, 2012

(Excerpt) Read more at 129.164.179.22 ...


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; astronomy; ngc6888; science
[Credit & Copyright: J-P Metsävainio (Astro Anarchy)]

1 posted on 08/16/2012 3:40:54 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
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To: brytlea; cripplecreek; decimon; bigheadfred; KoRn; Grammy; married21; steelyourfaith; Mmogamer; ...
Wow, nice.

2 posted on 08/16/2012 3:41:49 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: SunkenCiv

3 posted on 08/16/2012 3:45:25 PM PDT by the invisib1e hand (At what point does an escalated effort to remove this traitor commence, and what form does its take?)
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To: SunkenCiv

Looks kinda like a brain.


4 posted on 08/16/2012 3:48:12 PM PDT by Delta 21 (Oh Crap !! Did I say that out loud ??!??)
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To: SunkenCiv

Very cool, SunkenCiv! Reminds me of those round, little jellyfish that glow at night.


5 posted on 08/16/2012 4:11:40 PM PDT by momtothree
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To: SunkenCiv
Looks like a cell about ready to divide....hmmm, makes me think a bit different about the universe.
6 posted on 08/16/2012 4:17:05 PM PDT by redshawk (0pansy is a Liar and Hates.........he just hates!)
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To: SunkenCiv

To me, this represents our constant search for meaning in our life.....That, or it’s a blue pig flying through space.


7 posted on 08/16/2012 4:26:08 PM PDT by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: SunkenCiv

That’s how it looked in the Bronze age, I wonder how it looks now.
Unreal distances.
Thanks S.C.


8 posted on 08/16/2012 4:57:05 PM PDT by moose07 (The truth will out, one day.)
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To: SunkenCiv

It’s a sonogram.


9 posted on 08/16/2012 6:00:05 PM PDT by AzCountry
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To: SunkenCiv

Another beauty!

Thanks, Civ!


10 posted on 08/16/2012 6:44:50 PM PDT by left that other site (Worry is the Darkroom that Develops Negatives.)
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To: blueunicorn6

I guess you answered your own question!


11 posted on 08/16/2012 7:37:26 PM PDT by dr_lew
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To: the invisib1e hand; SunkenCiv

Thank you. That was what I saw too.

Thank you for the ping, Mr. Civilizations!


12 posted on 08/17/2012 8:02:25 AM PDT by TheOldLady
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To: Delta 21

Wonder where the pinky is?


13 posted on 08/17/2012 3:27:17 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: the invisib1e hand

Jelly Jelly!


14 posted on 08/17/2012 3:27:40 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: redshawk

Yeah, ever since that ST episode where that ship of Vulcans got wiped out...


15 posted on 08/17/2012 3:28:17 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: blueunicorn6; AzCountry; dr_lew

:’D


16 posted on 08/17/2012 3:29:31 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: momtothree; moose07; left that other site; TheOldLady

My pleasure, and thanks!


17 posted on 08/17/2012 3:29:31 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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