                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    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.

                                 2021 May 19

                           The Jellyfish and Mars
                   Image Credit & Copyright: Jason Guenzel

   Explanation: Normally faint and elusive, the Jellyfish Nebula is caught
   in this alluring scene. In the telescopic field of view two bright
   yellowish stars, Mu and Eta Geminorum, stand just below and above the
   Jellyfish Nebula at the left. Cool red giants, they lie at the foot of
   the celestial twin. The Jellyfish Nebula itself floats below and left
   of center, a bright arcing ridge of emission with dangling tentacles.
   In fact, the cosmic jellyfish is part of bubble-shaped supernova
   remnant IC 443, the expanding debris cloud from a massive star that
   exploded. Light from that explosion first reached planet Earth over
   30,000 years ago. Like its cousin in astrophysical waters the Crab
   Nebula supernova remnant, the Jellyfish Nebula is known to harbor a
   neutron star, the remnant of the collapsed stellar core. Composed on
   April 30, this telescopic snapshot also captures Mars. Now wandering
   through early evening skies, the Red Planet also shines with a
   yellowish glow on the right hand side of the field of view. Of course,
   the Jellyfish Nebula is about 5,000 light-years away, while Mars is
   currently almost 18 light-minutes from Earth.

                     Tomorrow's picture: pixels in space
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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