                        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 26

                     The Outburst Clouds of Star AG Car
   Image Credit: NASA, ESA, STScI; Processing: Judy Schmidt; Text: Anders
                                   Nyholm

   Explanation: What created these unusual clouds? At the center of this
   2021 Hubble image sits AG Carinae, a supergiant star located about
   20,000 light-years away in the southern constellation Carina. The
   star's emitted power is over a million times that of the Sun, making AG
   Carinae one of the most luminous stars in our Milky Way galaxy. AG
   Carinae and its neighbor Eta Carinae belong to the scarce Luminous Blue
   Variable (LBV) class of stars, known for their rare but violent
   eruptions. The nebula that surrounds AG Car is interpreted as a remnant
   of one or more such outbursts. This nebula measures 5 light-years
   across, is estimated to contain about 10 solar masses of gas, and to be
   at least 10,000 years old. This Hubble image, taken to commemorate
   Hubble's 31st launch anniversary, is the first to capture the whole
   nebula, offering a new perspective on its structure and dust content.
   The LBVs represent a late and short stage in the lives of some
   supergiant stars, but explaining their restlessness remains a challenge
   to humanity's understanding of how massive stars work.

   Your questions answered: Tonight's Blood Supermoon Total Lunar Eclipse
                       Tomorrow's picture: open space
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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                             & Michigan Tech. U.

