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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. 2019 January 12 VelaSupernova Remnant Mosaic ImageCredit & Copyright: Robert Gendler, Roberto Colombari, Digitized Sky Survey(POSS II) Explanation:The plane of our Milky Way Galaxy runs through this complex and beautifulskyscape. Seen toward colorful stars near the northwestern edge of theconstellation Vela (the Sails), the 16 degree wide, 200 frame mosaic iscentered on the glowing filaments of the Vela Supernova Remnant, the expandingdebris cloud from the death explosion of a massive star. Light from the supernovaexplosion that created the Vela remnant reached Earth about 11,000 years ago.In addition to the shocked filaments of glowing gas, the cosmic catastrophealso left behind an incredibly dense, rotating stellar core, the Vela Pulsar.Some 800 light-years distant, the Vela remnant is likely embedded in a largerand older supernova remnant, the Gum Nebula. Objects identified in this broadmosaic include emission and reflection nebulae, star clusters, and theremarkable Pencil Nebula. |
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