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.

                              2023 December 26
   [2]A complex nebula is shown in front of a dense starfield. The nebula
   appears orange. A bright star is seen just to the right of the nebula.
          Please see the explanation for more detailed information.

                        IC 443: The Jellyfish Nebula
                  Image Credit & Copyright: [3]David Payne

   Explanation: Why is this jellyfish swimming in a sea of stars? Drifting
   near bright star [4]Eta Geminorum, seen at the right, the [5]Jellyfish
   Nebula extends its tentacles from the bright arcing ridge of emission
   left of center. In fact, the cosmic [6]jellyfish is part of
   bubble-shaped [7]supernova remnant IC 443, the expanding debris cloud
   from a [8]massive star that exploded. Light from the explosion first
   reached [9]planet Earth over [10]30,000 years ago. Like its cousin in
   astronomical waters, the [11]Crab Nebula supernova remnant IC 443 is
   [12]known to harbor a [13]neutron star -- the remnant of the collapsed
   stellar core. The Jellyfish Nebula is about 5,000 [14]light-years away.
   At that distance, the [15]featured image would [16]span about 140
   light-years across.

   Your Sky Surprise: [17]What picture did APOD feature on your birthday?
                                 (post 1995)
                     Tomorrow's picture: rainbow aurora
     __________________________________________________________________

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    Authors & editors: [29]Robert Nemiroff ([30]MTU) & [31]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([32]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Phillip Newman [33]Specific rights apply.
              [34]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important 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/2312/Jellyfish_Payne_7846.jpg
   3. https://www.astrobin.com/users/Gunshy61/
   4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eta_Geminorum
   5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IC_443
   6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jellyfish
   7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supernova_remnant
   8. https://youtu.be/Q5UEMkvdnAc
   9. https://science.nasa.gov/earth/facts/
  10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upper_Paleolithic
  11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap231115.html
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap060602.html
  13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutron_star
  14. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/light-year/en/
  15. https://www.astrobin.com/cgp7eo/B/
  16. https://i.pinimg.com/736x/9f/f7/24/9ff7249d652f407a5af1b6ac9827c917.jpg
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap231225.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=231226
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap231227.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://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/