Posted on Apr 25, 2021
APOD: 2021 April 25 - Planetary Nebula Mz3: The Ant Nebula
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Good afternoon, Rallypoint. Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) is titled "Planetary Nebula Mz3: The Ant Nebula." Located 8,000 light years away in the constellation Norma (just below the tail of the Scorpion), Menzel 3 (Mz3) earned its nickname by its resemblance to a garden ant. It is an emission nebula (aka planetary nebula) consisting of an expanding, glowing shell of ionized gas ejected from a dying star. The Ant Nebula was discovered in 1922, and as you might guess, is the subject of active research.
Possible reasons for its shape include the magnetic fields about the central star. In 2018, astronomers at the European Space Agency's (ESA) Herschel Observatory detected a very unusual hydrogen recombination line laser (light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation) emission, which indicates the presence of one or more stars in the heart of the Ant Nebula itself. The gas producing the laser emission is organized in a disc that (from Earth) is viewed edge-on. This suggests two stars, where a binary companion keeps the disc concentrated and amplifies the laser signal that was detected.
Possible reasons for its shape include the magnetic fields about the central star. In 2018, astronomers at the European Space Agency's (ESA) Herschel Observatory detected a very unusual hydrogen recombination line laser (light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation) emission, which indicates the presence of one or more stars in the heart of the Ant Nebula itself. The gas producing the laser emission is organized in a disc that (from Earth) is viewed edge-on. This suggests two stars, where a binary companion keeps the disc concentrated and amplifies the laser signal that was detected.
APOD: 2021 April 25 - Planetary Nebula Mz3: The Ant Nebula
Posted from apod.nasa.gov
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Provided to YouTube by Believe SASThe Ant Song · Steve ApiranaSteve Apirana Steve ApiranaReleased on: 1987-01-01Author: RRComposer: RRAuto-generated by YouT...
Belated thank you my friend Maj William W. 'Bill' Price for posting the NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) for Sunday, April 25, 2021 entitled "Planetary Nebula Mz3: The Ant Nebula."
I hope and pray that each of are sleeping well and that you will be blessed with restful sleep.
The wonders of astro-photography and post processing which enables gas to be captured in multi-color spectro-photography.
Not to mention the wonderful naming conventions for nebula and nebulae
Image: Planetary Nebula Mz3 - The Ant Nebula - Image Credit - R. Sahai (JPL) et al., Hubble Heritage Team, ESA, NASA
APOD Background
"Explanation: Why isn't this ant a big sphere? Planetary nebula Mz3 is being cast off by a star similar to our Sun that is, surely, round. Why then would the gas that is streaming away create an ant-shaped nebula that is distinctly not round? Clues might include the high 1000-kilometer per second speed of the expelled gas, the light-year long length of the structure, and the magnetism of the star featured here at the nebula's center. One possible answer is that Mz3 is hiding a second, dimmer star that orbits close in to the bright star. A competing hypothesis holds that the central star's own spin and magnetic field are channeling the gas. Since the central star appears to be so similar to our own Sun, astronomers hope that increased understanding of the history of this giant space ant can provide useful insight into the likely future of our own Sun and Earth."
The Ant Song · Steve Apirana
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJIO67JdIKY
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs SMSgt Lawrence McCarter Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen LTC (Join to see)MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D. Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Sgt Albert Castro PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SSG Samuel Kermon SSG Franklin Briant SMSgt David A Asbury A1C Riley SandersSPC Michael Oles SR TSgt David L. Maj Marty Hogan SMSgt Tom Burns SGT Herbert Bollum SGT Denny Espinosa Sgt (Join to see)
I hope and pray that each of are sleeping well and that you will be blessed with restful sleep.
The wonders of astro-photography and post processing which enables gas to be captured in multi-color spectro-photography.
Not to mention the wonderful naming conventions for nebula and nebulae
Image: Planetary Nebula Mz3 - The Ant Nebula - Image Credit - R. Sahai (JPL) et al., Hubble Heritage Team, ESA, NASA
APOD Background
"Explanation: Why isn't this ant a big sphere? Planetary nebula Mz3 is being cast off by a star similar to our Sun that is, surely, round. Why then would the gas that is streaming away create an ant-shaped nebula that is distinctly not round? Clues might include the high 1000-kilometer per second speed of the expelled gas, the light-year long length of the structure, and the magnetism of the star featured here at the nebula's center. One possible answer is that Mz3 is hiding a second, dimmer star that orbits close in to the bright star. A competing hypothesis holds that the central star's own spin and magnetic field are channeling the gas. Since the central star appears to be so similar to our own Sun, astronomers hope that increased understanding of the history of this giant space ant can provide useful insight into the likely future of our own Sun and Earth."
The Ant Song · Steve Apirana
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJIO67JdIKY
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs SMSgt Lawrence McCarter Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen LTC (Join to see)MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D. Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Sgt Albert Castro PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SSG Samuel Kermon SSG Franklin Briant SMSgt David A Asbury A1C Riley SandersSPC Michael Oles SR TSgt David L. Maj Marty Hogan SMSgt Tom Burns SGT Herbert Bollum SGT Denny Espinosa Sgt (Join to see)
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LTC Stephen F.
Timbuk 3 - The Future's So Bright (I Gotta Wear Shades) (Daily Live 1987 SVT)
Timbuk 3 was an American rock band which released six original studio albums between 1986 and 1995. They are best known for their Top 20 single "The Future's...
I hope and pray that each of are sleeping well and that you will be blessed with restful sleep.
Them song for the denizens of the Ant Neblua :-)
Timbuk 3 - The Future's So Bright (I Gotta Wear Shades) (Daily Live 1987 SVT)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqkxd32dbwM
FYI CSM Bruce TregoSPC Woody Bullard CPL Douglas ChryslerCpl (Join to see) SFC William Farrell SPC Michael TerrellSSG Paul Headlee SPC Michael Duricko, Ph.D SSG Michael Noll SPC Randy Zimmerman Sgt Albert Castro Sgt Vance Bonds Cpl Vic Burk PO1 H Gene Lawrence Maj William W. 'Bill' Price SSgt Clare May SPC Diana D. SP5 Gary Nelson SSG Bill McCoy PO2 (Join to see)
Them song for the denizens of the Ant Neblua :-)
Timbuk 3 - The Future's So Bright (I Gotta Wear Shades) (Daily Live 1987 SVT)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqkxd32dbwM
FYI CSM Bruce TregoSPC Woody Bullard CPL Douglas ChryslerCpl (Join to see) SFC William Farrell SPC Michael TerrellSSG Paul Headlee SPC Michael Duricko, Ph.D SSG Michael Noll SPC Randy Zimmerman Sgt Albert Castro Sgt Vance Bonds Cpl Vic Burk PO1 H Gene Lawrence Maj William W. 'Bill' Price SSgt Clare May SPC Diana D. SP5 Gary Nelson SSG Bill McCoy PO2 (Join to see)
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