APOD: M2-9: Wings of a Butterfly Nebula (2020 Sep 13)

Comments and questions about the APOD on the main view screen.
Post Reply
User avatar
APOD Robot
Otto Posterman
Posts: 5345
Joined: Fri Dec 04, 2009 3:27 am
Contact:

APOD: M2-9: Wings of a Butterfly Nebula (2020 Sep 13)

Post by APOD Robot » Sun Sep 13, 2020 4:06 am

Image M2-9: Wings of a Butterfly Nebula

Explanation: Are stars better appreciated for their art after they die? Actually, stars usually create their most artistic displays as they die. In the case of low-mass stars like our Sun and M2-9 pictured here, the stars transform themselves from normal stars to white dwarfs by casting off their outer gaseous envelopes. The expended gas frequently forms an impressive display called a planetary nebula that fades gradually over thousands of years. M2-9, a butterfly planetary nebula 2100 light-years away shown in representative colors, has wings that tell a strange but incomplete tale. In the center, two stars orbit inside a gaseous disk 10 times the orbit of Pluto. The expelled envelope of the dying star breaks out from the disk creating the bipolar appearance. Much remains unknown about the physical processes that cause and shape planetary nebulae.

<< Previous APOD This Day in APOD Next APOD >>

User avatar
orin stepanek
Plutopian
Posts: 8200
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2005 3:41 pm
Location: Nebraska

Re: APOD: M2-9: Wings of a Butterfly Nebula (2020 Sep 13)

Post by orin stepanek » Sun Sep 13, 2020 10:13 am

M2D9_HubbleSchmidt_985.jpg

A Butterfly? Anyway it is beautiful!! :D 8-)
th.jpg
th.jpg (5.08 KiB) Viewed 2005 times
photo from internet search
Orin

Smile today; tomorrow's another day!

User avatar
Ann
4725 Å
Posts: 13373
Joined: Sat May 29, 2010 5:33 am

Re: APOD: M2-9: Wings of a Butterfly Nebula (2020 Sep 13)

Post by Ann » Sun Sep 13, 2020 10:48 am

orin stepanek wrote: Sun Sep 13, 2020 10:13 am M2D9_HubbleSchmidt_985.jpg


A Butterfly? Anyway it is beautiful!! :D 8-)th.jpgphoto from internet search


















Maybe the M2-9 planetary nebula is a Zebra Longwing kind of butterfly?

Ann
Color Commentator

User avatar
orin stepanek
Plutopian
Posts: 8200
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2005 3:41 pm
Location: Nebraska

Re: APOD: M2-9: Wings of a Butterfly Nebula (2020 Sep 13)

Post by orin stepanek » Sun Sep 13, 2020 12:05 pm

Kudos to geckzilla, processing!
Orin

Smile today; tomorrow's another day!

User avatar
neufer
Vacationer at Tralfamadore
Posts: 18805
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 1:57 pm
Location: Alexandria, Virginia

Re: APOD: M2-9: Wings of a Butterfly Nebula (2020 Sep 13)

Post by neufer » Sun Sep 13, 2020 1:00 pm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invaders_from_Mars_(1953_film) wrote: <<Invaders from Mars is a 1953 independently made American SuperCinecolor science fiction film.

Late one night, youngster David MacLean (Jimmy Hunt) is awakened by a loud thunderstorm. From his bedroom window, he sees a large flying saucer descend and disappear into the sandpit area behind his home. Through his telescope, David sees child neighbor Kathy Wilson suddenly disappear underground while walking in the sandpit. With the help of local astronomer Dr. Stuart Kelston (Arthur Franz), David soon realizes the flying saucer is likely the vanguard of an invasion from the planet Mars, now in close orbital proximity to Earth. Dr. Kelston contacts the U.S. Army and convinces them to immediately investigate.

Standing well away from the army search, Dr. Blake and young David are suddenly sucked underground. They are captured by two tall, slit-eyed green humanoids and taken via tunnels to the flying saucer. Inside, they confront the Martian mastermind: It has a giant green head with a humanoid face atop a small, green partial torso with several green arm-tentacles, and is encased in a transparent sphere.

Following the large explosion, David is suddenly back in his bed during a thunder and lightning storm. He runs into his parents' bedroom [who] reassure him that he was just having a bad dream, telling him to go back to sleep. Having returned to his bed, more wind and loud thunder is heard. David climbs out of bed again, goes to his window, and witnesses the very same flying saucer in his nightmare slowly descending into the sandpit, to which he responds, "Gee whiz"!>>
Art Neuendorffer

User avatar
orin stepanek
Plutopian
Posts: 8200
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2005 3:41 pm
Location: Nebraska

Re: APOD: M2-9: Wings of a Butterfly Nebula (2020 Sep 13)

Post by orin stepanek » Mon Sep 14, 2020 1:39 am

I liked sify in my youth and watched a lot of B-Flicks! I remember one where these aliens would inject alcohol in the teenaged kids and get them stoned! :mrgreen: Ya; uhuh! :lol2:
Orin

Smile today; tomorrow's another day!

User avatar
orin stepanek
Plutopian
Posts: 8200
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2005 3:41 pm
Location: Nebraska

Re: APOD: M2-9: Wings of a Butterfly Nebula (2020 Sep 13)

Post by orin stepanek » Mon Sep 14, 2020 2:06 am

https://youtu.be/cjtASrKtpos

gonna watch this way for a while! :mrgreen:
Orin

Smile today; tomorrow's another day!

Post Reply