        APOD: 2018 February 25 - AE Aurigae and the Flaming Star Nebula

                         Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! [1] Each day a different image or photograph of our
 fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a
                           professional astronomer.

                               2018 February 25
                                      [2]
                    AE Aurigae and the Flaming Star Nebula
                  Image Credit & Copyright: Martin Pugh [3]

Explanation: Why is AE Aurigae called the flaming star? For one reason, the
surrounding nebula IC 405 [4]  is named the Flaming Star Nebula [5]  because
the region seems to harbor smoke, even though nothing is on fire, including
interior star AE Aurigae. Fire [6] , typically defined as the rapid molecular
acquisition of oxygen [7] , happens only when sufficient oxygen is present and
is not important in such high-energy, low-oxygen environments. The material
that appears as smoke [8]  is mostly interstellar hydrogen [9] , but does
contain smoke-like dark filaments of carbon-rich dust grains [10] . The bright
star AE Aurigae [11]  is visible near the nebula center and is so hot [12]  it
is blue [13] , emitting light so energetic it knocks electrons [14]  away from
atoms in the surrounding gas. When an atom [15]  recaptures an electron, light
is emitted creating the surrounding emission nebula [16] . The Flaming Star
nebula [17]  lies about 1,500 light years [18]  distant, spans about 5 light
years, and is visible with a small telescope toward the constellation [19]  of
the Charioteer [20]  (Auriga).

                    Tomorrow's picture: jupiter swoop [21]

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Site notes:
  [1] archivepix.html
  [2] image/1802/flamingstar_pugh_2666.jpg
  [3] http://www.martinpughastrophotography.id.au/
  [4] ap031124.html
  [5] http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/F/Flaming_Star_Nebula.html
  [6] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire
  [7] http://periodic.lanl.gov/8.shtml
  [8] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UlsArvbTeo
  [9] ap010113.html
  [10] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmic_dust
  [11] http://www.noao.edu/image_gallery/html/im0686.html
  [12] http://www.webexhibits.org/causesofcolor/3.html
  [13]
https://theconversation.com/
is-red-warmer-than-blue-what-colours-can-tell-you-24614
  [14] http://www.aip.org/history/electron/
  [15] https://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/science/toolbox/atom.html
  [16] emission_nebulae.html
  [17] http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2004ApJ...616..257F
  [18] http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/cosmic_distance.html
  [19] http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/extra/
constellations.html
  [20] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auriga_(constellation)
  [21] ap180226.html
  [22] ap180224.html
  [23] archivepix.html
  [24] lib/apsubmit2015.html
  [25] lib/aptree.html
  [26] https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  [27] calendar/allyears.html
  [28] /apod.rss
  [29] lib/edlinks.html
  [30] lib/about_apod.html
  [31] http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=180225
  [32] ap180226.html
  [33] http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  [34] http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  [35] https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  [36] http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  [37] lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  [38] https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  [39] https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  [40] https://www.nasa.gov/
  [41] https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  [42] http://www.mtu.edu/
