The Hubble Just Took a Gorgeous New Image of the Southern Crab Nebula's Wonky Gas Bubbles

[Judi Lynn]

By Brandon Specktor, Senior Writer | April 19, 2019 03:12pm ET

https://img.purch.com/h/1400/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzEwNS8zMTEvb3JpZ2luYWwvY3JhYi1uZWJ1bGEuanBn

This incredible image of the hourglass-shaped Southern Crab Nebula was taken to mark the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope’s 29th anniversary in space. The nebula, created by a binary star system, is one of the many objects that Hubble has demystified throughout its productive life. This new image adds to our understanding of the nebula and demonstrates the telescope’s continued capabilities.



On 24 April 1990, the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope was launched on the space shuttle Discovery. It has since revolutionised how astronomers and the general public see the Universe. The images it provides are spectacular from both a scientific and a purely aesthetic point of view.

Each year the telescope dedicates a small portion of its precious observing time to take a special anniversary image, focused on capturing particularly beautiful and meaningful objects. This year’s image is the Southern Crab Nebula, and it is no exception [1].

This peculiar nebula, which exhibits nested hourglass-shaped structures, has been created by the interaction between a pair of stars at its centre. The unequal pair consists of a red giant and a white dwarf. The red giant is shedding its outer layers in the last phase of its life before it too lives out its final years as a white dwarf. Some of the red giant’s ejected material is attracted by the gravity of its companion.

When enough of this cast-off material is pulled onto the white dwarf, it too ejects the material outwards in an eruption, creating the structures we see in the nebula. Eventually, the red giant will finish throwing off its outer layers, and stop feeding its white dwarf companion. Prior to this, there may also be more eruptions, creating even more intricate structures.

More:
https://www.spacetelescope.org/news/heic1907/

[alwaysinasnit]

1. Fantastic image. Thanks for posting.

[Judi Lynn]

2. The Hubble images are astonishing. I have never seen this one, also at that link:

Butterfly Nebula:



Unbelievable! I'm in shock!

Thank you, alwaysinasnit.

[alwaysinasnit]

3. Awe-inspiring. Thanks for all your great posts Judi Lynn.

[highplainsdem]

4. Wow! K&R, and thank you!

[sprinkleeninow]

5. Whoa! The stuff OUT there!

Hope you don't mind a bit of levity⬇

The description of this could be applied to me:
Southern Crab Nebula's Wonky Gas Bubbles. 😁

I appreciate and enjoy all of your offerings!

[burrowowl]

6. K&R!!!!

Thanks!

[tiredtoo]

7. Not into space and/or astronomy but

This is really cool! thanks for sharing.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

8. A cool zoom-in video showing how one would find it relative to our galaxy....

Zooming in on the Southern Crab Nebula
Credit: Hubble, DSS, Nick Risinger (skysurvey.org)
Music: Astral Electronic

Link: https://www.spacetelescope.org/videos/heic1907b/

(snip)

This video takes the viewer on a journey into the 29th anniversary image NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, the Southern Crab Nebula. This peculiar nebula, which exhibits nested hourglass-shaped structures, has been created by the interaction between a pair of stars at its centre. The unequal pair consists of a red giant and a white dwarf. The red giant is shedding its outer layers in the last phase of its life before it too lives out its final years as a white dwarf.

Thanks for the great OP, Judi Lynn......

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

9. Wow.

I just love getting astronomy stuff here.

[Pepsidog]

10. Great post. Thanks. Amazing.

[MontanaMama]

11. Stunning.

Thank you Judi Lynn.