﻿ Astronomy Picture of the Day [1]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. 2024 June 17 [2]A starfield has a red nebula covering much of the frame but in the center, extending nearly vertically, is a blue nebula that appears shaped, to some, like a squid. Please see the explanation for more detailed information. Ou4: The Giant Squid Nebula Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Alex Linde Explanation: Squids on Earth aren't this big. This mysterious squid-like cosmic cloud spans nearly three [4]full moons on planet Earth's sky. [5]Discovered in 2011 by French astro-imager [6]Nicolas Outters, the Squid Nebula's [7]bipolar shape is distinguished [8]here by the telltale blue [9]emission from doubly ionized [10]oxygen atoms. Though apparently [11]surrounded by the reddish hydrogen emission region Sh2-129, the true distance and nature of the Squid Nebula have been [12]difficult to determine. Still, one [13]investigation suggests Ou4 really does lie [14]within Sh2-129 some 2,300 light-years away. Consistent with that scenario, the cosmic squid would represent a spectacular outflow of material driven by a [15]triple system of hot, massive stars, cataloged as [16]HR8119, seen near the center of the nebula. If so, this truly giant squid nebula would physically be over 50 [17]light-years across. Tomorrow's picture: thunder jets __________________________________________________________________ [18]< | [19]Archive | [20]Submissions | [21]Index | [22]Search | [23]Calendar | [24]RSS | [25]Education | [26]About APOD | [27]Discuss | [28]> __________________________________________________________________ Authors & editors: [29]Robert Nemiroff ([30]MTU) & [31]Jerry Bonnell ([32]UMCP) NASA Official: Amber Straughn [33]Specific rights apply. [34]NASA Web Privacy, [35]Accessibility, [36]Notices; A service of: [37]ASD at [38]NASA / [39]GSFC, [40]NASA Science Activation & [41]Michigan Tech. U. References 1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2406/SquidOu4_Linde_4010.jpg 3. https://www.instagram.com/astro_photo_alex/ 4. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220612.html 5. https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2012RMxAA..48..223A/abstract 6. http://outters.fr/wp/?page_id=50 7. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230416.html 8. https://www.instagram.com/p/C7g5JleMv90/ 9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nebulium 10. https://youtu.be/uPK_rSf1WUc 11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230817.html 12. https://www.shutterstock.com/shutterstock/videos/1048890202/thumb/1.jpg 13. https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014A&A...570A.105C/abstract 14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap210723.html 15. http://www.atlasoftheuniverse.com/orbits.html 16. https://in-the-sky.org/data/object.php?id=TYC3965-880-1#google_vignette 17. https://science.nasa.gov/exoplanets/what-is-a-light-year/ 18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240616.html 19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html 21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html 22. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search 23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html 24. https://apod.com/feed.rss 25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html 26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html 27. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=240617 28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240618.html 29. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html 30. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/ 31. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html 32. http://www.astro.umd.edu/ 33. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 34. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html 35. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/ 36. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/ 37. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/ 38. https://www.nasa.gov/ 39. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/ 40. https://science.nasa.gov/learners 41. http://www.mtu.edu/