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 March 1
   [2]Pictured are two red nebulas on the far left and center, and a comet
    complete with a green coma and a long blue ion tail on the far right.
          Please see the explanation for more detailed information.

                           The Flaming Star Nebula
                  Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Thomas Röell

   Explanation: Is star AE Aurigae on fire? No. Even though [4]AE Aurigae
   is named the Flaming Star and the surrounding nebula [5]IC 405 is named
   the [6]Flaming Star Nebula, and even though the nebula appears to some
   like a swirling [7]flame, there is [8]no fire. [9]Fire, typically
   defined as the rapid molecular acquisition of [10]oxygen, happens only
   when sufficient oxygen is present and is [11]not important in such
   high-energy, low-oxygen environments such as stars. The bright star
   [12]AE Aurigae occurs near the center of the Flaming Star Nebula and is
   [13]so hot it glows blue, emitting light so energetic it knocks
   [14]electrons away from surrounding gas. When a [15]proton recaptures
   an electron, light is emitted, as seen in the surrounding [16]emission
   nebula. [17]Captured here three weeks ago, the [18]Flaming Star Nebula
   is visible near the composite image's center, between the red
   [19]Tadpole Nebula on the left and blue-tailed [20]Comet ZTF on the
   right. The Flaming Star Nebula lies about 1,500 [21]light years
   distant, spans about 5 [22]light years, and is visible with a small
   telescope toward the [23]constellation of [24]the Charioteer (Auriga).

                   Tomorrow's picture: disturbing galaxies
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    Authors & editors: [36]Robert Nemiroff ([37]MTU) & [38]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([39]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Phillip Newman [40]Specific rights apply.
              [41]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                A service of: [42]ASD at [43]NASA / [44]GSFC,
                         [45]NASA Science Activation
                           & [46]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2303/FlamingStarComet_Roell_7504.jpg
   3. https://www.instagram.com/pilot_astro/
   4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AE_Aurigae
   5. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap200107.html
   6. https://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/F/Flaming_Star_Nebula.html
   7. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap180826.html
   8. https://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/News-and-media/Press-Room/Reporters-Guide-to-Fire-and-NFPA/Key-Fire-Safety-Tips
   9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire
  10. https://periodic.lanl.gov/8.shtml
  11. https://media.istockphoto.com/id/509119713/photo/weimaraner-with-head-cocked.jpg?s=612x612&w=0&k=20&c=FMXNT4yye2_I5n5Z8ZGJZxlYnosXXw9xPcUQ1FtATdM=
  12. https://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/mmg_disp.jsp?med_id=57052
  13. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igDZ8CMWq1k
  14. https://history.aip.org/exhibits/electron/
  15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proton
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/emission_nebulae.html
  17. https://www.instagram.com/p/Cou3cnzs6zV/
  18. https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2004ApJ...616..257F/abstract
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap221219.html
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230221.html
  21. http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/cosmic_distance.html
  22. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/light-year/
  23. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/constellations/
  24. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auriga_(constellation)
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230328.html
  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  29. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss
  32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  33. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  34. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=230301
  35. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230302.html
  36. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  37. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  38. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  39. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  40. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  41. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  42. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  43. https://www.nasa.gov/
  44. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  45. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  46. http://www.mtu.edu/