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Credit & Copyright: John Gleason
(Celestial Images)
Explanation:
Because the Gum Nebula is the closest
supernova remnant,
it is actually hard to see.
Spanning 40
degrees across the sky, the nebula is so
large and faint
it is easily lost in the
din of a bright and complex background.
The Gum Nebula, highlighted nicely in the
above wide angle photograph,
is so close that we are
much nearer the front edge than the back edge,
each measuring 450 and 1500
light years respectively.
The
complex nebula lies in the direction of the constellations of Puppis and Vela.
Oddly, much remains unknown about the Gum Nebula, including the
timing and even number of supernova explosions that formed it.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: nebula - Gum Nebula - supernova remnant - supernova
Publications with words: nebula - Gum Nebula - supernova remnant - supernova
See also: