NASA Shares Photo Of 'Snowman' Nebula 6,000 Light-years Away
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has revealed a new stunning photograph of a "snowman" positioned an astonishing 6,000 light-years distant from Earth.?This remarkable image displays a detailed and far-off nebula resembling the well-known winter symbol, expertly captured by the precision of the Hubble.?
The cosmic artwork, framed against the expansive backdrop of space, provides a mesmerizing peek into the marvels of the universe.?
What Did NASA Find?
The United States Space Agency, NASA, consistently captures breathtaking pictures of the cosmos that captivate enthusiasts of outer space.?NASA's Instagram account is a valuable resource for individuals who enjoy viewing educational videos and captivating images featuring both Earth and the vastness of space.
In a recent update, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope photographed a celestial object resembling a "snowman" situated approximately 6,000 light-years distant from our planet.
According to the agency, the captured image has been categorized as an "emission nebula." These are "diffuse clouds of gas that have been energized by the proximity of massive stars, resulting in them radiating light independently."?The space agency further explained that the radiation emitted by these massive stars induces ionization, wherein electrons are stripped from the hydrogen atoms in the nebula.?
As these energized electrons transition from higher to lower energy states, they release energy in the form of light, causing the gas within the nebula to illuminate.?The captured image reveals three prominent, bright, blue-white stars positioned at the upper left, signalling the commencement of a vivid and dusty expanse of reddish-brown, orange, and white luminous gas and dust.?
NASA describes the upper sections of this region as loosely resembling a snowman, complete with a scarf and top hat.?Additionally, NASA notes that the remaining portions of the image appear dark and are filled with glittering stars, a considerable number of which exhibit diffraction spikes.
Why Was The Picture Of The 'Snowman' Taken?
The image was captured as part of a research initiative focused on "protostars," which refers to newly forming stars falling within the categories of massive and intermediate sizes.?Scientists specifically sought to identify hydrogen ionized by the ultraviolet light emanating from these protostars, as well as study the jets emitted by the stars and other characteristics leveraging the infrared sensitivity of Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3.?
See the photo below:
How Did The Internet React?
The image has garnered more than 60,000 likes so far.?The post has many comments from some users who are confused about the find while others seem mesmerized.?
What do you think about it? Do let us know in the comments.
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