2025年5月14日
NGC 1360: The Robin’s Egg Nebula
Image Credit & Copyright: Andrea Iorio, Vikas Chander & ShaRA Team
Explanation: This pretty nebula lies some 1,500 light-years away, its shape and color in this telescopic view reminiscent of a robin’s egg. The cosmic cloud spans about 3 light-years, nestled securely within the boundaries of the southern constellation of the Furnace (Fornax). Recognized as a planetary nebula, egg-shaped NGC 1360 doesn’t represent a beginning, though. Instead, it corresponds to a brief and final phase in the evolution of an aging star. In fact, visible at the center of the nebula, the central star of NGC 1360 is known to be a binary star system likely consisting of two evolved white dwarf stars, less massive but much hotter than the Sun. Their intense and otherwise invisible ultraviolet radiation has stripped away electrons from the atoms in their mutually surrounding gaseous shroud. The blue-green hue inside of NGC 1360 seen here is the strong emission produced as electrons recombine with doubly ionized oxygen atoms.
Celestial Surprise: What picture did APOD feature on your birthday? (post 1995)
Tomorrow’s picture: pluto below
NGC 1360: 知更鸟蛋星云
影像提供与版权: Andrea Iorio, Vikas Chander & ShaRA Team
说明: 这团距离约1,500光年的美丽星云，形状和色泽酷似水蓝色的知更鸟蛋。这团位于南天的天炉座内的宇宙云，跨幅则在3光年左右。它的分类是行星状星云，因此并不是即将形成恒星的天体，而是一颗年老恒星演化的短暂最后阶段。位在NGC 1360核心的中心星，其实是个双星系统，而且极可能是二颗高度演化的白矮星，它们的质量小于太阳，但远比太阳炽热。它们强烈但不可见的紫外辐射，不停把周围气体云里的原子之电子剥离。NGC 1360吸睛的水蓝色泽，来自双电离的氧原子与电子复合时所发出的明亮辐射。
天赐惊喜: 你生日那天，APOD刊登了什么照片？（1995年后）
明日的图片: pluto below
