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Astronomy Picture of the Day |
APOD: 2022 June 26 - Light Echoes from V838 Mon
Explanation:
What caused this outburst of V838 Mon?
For reasons unknown, star
V838 Mon's
outer surface
suddenly greatly expanded with the
result that it became one of the
brighter stars in the
Milky Way Galaxy in early 2002.
Then, just as suddenly,
it shrunk and faded.
A stellar flash
like this had never been seen before --
supernovas
and novas expel matter out into space.
Although the V838 Mon
flash appears to expel material into space, what is seen in the
featured image from the Hubble Space Telescope is actually an outwardly expanding light echo of the original flash.
In a light echo, light from the flash is
reflected by successively more distant surfaces
in the complex array of ambient
interstellar dust that already surrounded the star.
V838 Mon lies about 20,000
light years away toward the constellation of the unicorn
(Monoceros),
while the light echo above spans about six light years in diameter.
APOD: 2014 June 17 - V838 Light Echo: The Movie
Explanation:
What caused this outburst of V838 Mon?
For reasons unknown, star V838 Mon
suddenly became one of the brightest stars in the entire
Milky Way Galaxy.
Then, just a few months later, it faded.
A stellar flash like this has never been seen before --
supernovas
and novas expel a tremendous amount of matter out into space.
Although the V838 Mon flash appeared to expel some material into space, what is seen in the
above eight-frame movie, interpolated for smoothness, is actually an outwardly moving
light echo of the flash.
The actual time-span of the
above movie
is from 2002, when the flash was first recorded, to 2006.
In a light echo, light from the flash is
reflected by successively more distant ellipsoids in the complex array of ambient
interstellar dust
that already surrounded the star.
Currently, the
leading model for
V838's
outburst was the orbital decay and subsequent merging of two relatively normal stars.
V838 Mon lies about 20,000
light years away toward the
constellation of
Monoceros, while the largest
light echo above spans about
six light years in diameter.
APOD: 2013 March 17 - Light Echoes from V838 Mon
Explanation:
What caused this outburst of V838 Mon?
For reasons unknown, star V838 Mon's
outer surface suddenly greatly expanded with the
result that it became the brightest star in the entire
Milky Way Galaxy in January 2002.
Then, just as suddenly, it faded.
A stellar flash
like this had never been seen before --
supernovas
and novas expel matter out into space.
Although the V838 Mon flash appears to expel material into space, what is seen in the
above image from the Hubble Space Telescope is actually an outwardly moving light echo of the bright flash.
In a light echo, light from the flash is
reflected by successively
more distant rings
in the complex array of ambient
interstellar dust that already surrounded the star.
V838 Mon lies about 20,000
light years away toward the constellation of the unicorn
(Monoceros), while the
light echo above spans about six light years in diameter.
APOD: 2011 December 4 - Light Echoes from V838 Mon
Explanation:
For reasons
unknown, star V838 Mon's
outer surface suddenly greatly expanded with the
result that it became the brightest star in the entire
Milky Way Galaxy in January 2002.
Then, just as suddenly, it faded.
A stellar flash
like this had never been seen before.
It's true that
supernovae
and
novae
expel matter out into space.
But while the
V838 Mon
flash appears to expel material into space, what is
seen here is actually an outwardly moving
light echo of the bright flash.
In a light
echo, light from the flash is
reflected by successively
more distant
rings in the ambient
interstellar dust that already surrounded
the star.
V838 Mon lies about 20,000
light years away toward the constellation of
Monoceros
the unicorn.
In this Hubble Space Telescope image from
February 2004, the light echo is about six
light years in diameter.
APOD: 2009 November 22 - Light Echoes from V838 Mon
Explanation:
What caused this outburst of V838 Mon?
For reasons unknown, star V838 Mon's
outer surface suddenly greatly expanded with the
result that it became the brightest star in the entire
Milky Way Galaxy in January 2002.
Then, just as suddenly, it faded.
A stellar flash
like this has never been seen before --
supernovas
and novas expel matter out into space.
Although the V838 Mon flash appears to expel material into space, what is seen in the
above image from the Hubble Space Telescope is actually an outwardly moving light echo of the bright flash.
In a light echo, light from the flash is
reflected by successively
more distant rings
in the complex array of ambient
interstellar dust that already surrounded the star.
V838 Mon lies about 20,000
light years away toward the constellation of the unicorn
(Monoceros), while the
light echo above spans about six light years in diameter.
APOD: 2008 February 3 - Light Echoes from V838 Mon
Explanation:
What caused this outburst of V838 Mon?
For reasons unknown, star V838 Mon's
outer surface suddenly greatly expanded with the
result that it became the brightest star in the entire
Milky Way Galaxy in January 2002.
Then, just as suddenly, it faded.
A stellar flash
like this has never been seen before --
supernovas
and novas expel matter out into space.
Although the V838 Mon flash appears to expel material into space, what is seen in the
above image from the
Hubble Space Telescope
is actually an outwardly moving
light echo of the bright flash.
In a light echo, light from the flash is
reflected by successively more distant rings in the complex array of ambient
interstellar dust
that already surrounded the star.
V838 Mon lies about 20,000
light years away toward the constellation of the unicorn
(Monoceros), while the
light echo above spans about six
light years in diameter.
APOD: 2006 November 3 - V838 Mon: Echoes from the Edge
Explanation:
Variable star V838 Monocerotis lies
near the edge of our Milky Way Galaxy,
about 20,000 light-years
from the Sun.
Still, ever since a
sudden
outburst was detected
in January 2002, this enigmatic star has taken the center of
an astronomical stage.
As astronomers watch, light from the outburst echoes across
pre-existing dust shells around V838 Mon, progressively illuminating
ever more distant regions.
This
stunning image of swirls of dust surrounding the star was
recorded by the Hubble Space Telescope in
September of this year.
The picture spans about 14 light-years.
Astronomers expect the
expanding
echoes to continue to light up
the dusty environs
of
V838 Mon for at least the rest of the current decade.
Researchers
have now found that V838 Mon is likely a young binary star, but the
cause of its extraordinary outburst remains a mystery.
APOD: 2005 November 27 - Light Echoes from V838 Mon
Explanation:
What caused this outburst of V838 Mon?
For reasons unknown, star V838 Mon's
outer surface suddenly greatly expanded with the
result that it became the brightest star in the entire
Milky Way Galaxy in January 2002.
Then, just as suddenly, it faded.
A stellar flash like this has never been seen before --
supernovas
and novas expel matter out into space.
Although the V838 Mon flash appears to expel material into space, what is seen in the
above image from the
Hubble Space Telescope
is actually an outwardly moving
light echo of the bright flash.
In a light echo, light from the flash is
reflected by successively more distant rings in the complex array of ambient
interstellar dust
that already surrounded the star.
V838 Mon lies about 20,000
light years away toward the constellation of the unicorn
(Monoceros), while the
light echo above spans about six
light years in diameter.
APOD: 2005 February 4 - V838 Mon: Light Echo Update
Explanation:
Expanding light echoes continue to illuminate the dusty
environs of V838 Monocerotis, mysterious variable star
near the edge of our Galaxy.
This stunning image,
produced from Hubble data recorded in October of 2004,
adds to
a
unique series of space-based, high-resolution views.
After detecting a sudden outburst from the star in 2002,
astronomers have followed the
flash expanding at the speed
of light through pre-existing dust clouds surrounding
the reddened variable star.
While the expanding light echoes are
dramatic, astronomers
have struggled to understand where V838 Mon itself fits into the
stellar life cycle.
Studies
indicate the V838 Mon is a young
binary system
with a massive star responsible for the outburst.
The Hubble image
spans about 14 light-years at the estimated
20,000 light-year distance to V838 Mon.
APOD: 2004 November 25 - What the Hubble Saw
Explanation:
In this striking 41 inch by 38 inch quilt,
astronomy enthusiast Judy Ross has interpreted some of
the Hubble Space Telescope's
best galactic and extragalactic vistas.
Featured in past APODs,
clockwise from the lower right are; the
Red Rectangle Nebula,
NGC 2392, the
Sleeping Beauty Galaxy,
V838 Monocerotis -
the Milky Way's most mysterious star, and
supernova remnant N49 -
the cosmic debris from an exploded star.
Of course,
quilts have been used
historically
to represent astronomical concepts.
And while inspired by the
images of the cosmos that she
incorporates into her quilts, Ross reports that she is
still a little daunted by the intricacies of the
Cat's Eye Nebula revealed by
the Hubble's sharp vision.
APOD: 2004 March 5 - V838 Mon: Echoes from the Edge
Explanation:
Variable star V838 Monocerotis lies
near the edge of our Milky Way Galaxy,
about 20,000 light-years
from the Sun.
Still, ever since a
sudden
outburst was detected
in January 2002, this enigmatic star has taken the center of
an
astronomical stage while
researchers
try to understand
where it fits into the picture of
stellar evolution.
As light from the stellar flash echoes across
pre-existing dust shells around V838 Mon, its appearance
changes dramatically.
Revealed in a sharp
snapshot recorded in February by the Hubble's
Advanced Camera for Surveys,
this portion of the dust shell is about six light-years
in diameter.
But because light reflected from the dust follows only a slightly
indirect path compared to the
direct line-of-sight to the star, the
light echoes visible now
are only lagging about two years behind
the outburst itself.
Astronomers expect the expanding
echoes to continue to light up
the dusty environs of V838 Mon for at least the rest of the
current decade.
APOD: 2003 December 5 - Startling Star V838 Mon
Explanation:
Variable star
V838
Monocerotis startled astronomers in January of 2002,
undergoing
a dramatic outburst
like no other variable star known.
Followed closely by
ground-based instruments and the
Hubble Space Telescope
over the following months, it was soon realized that
the quickly evolving dusty nebula surrounding
V838 Mon was in fact made
visible by "light echoes" from
the outburst.
Remarkably, as light from the outburst
plays across
layers of pre-existing circumstellar material, it gives the surrounding
nebulosity the illusion
of expanding "faster than light".
Though the nebula's visible appearance changes dramatically over
a period of months, it is actually at least 6 light years
in diameter.
A good
astrophysical
explanation for V838 Mon's outbursting behavior
is still unknown but astronomers continue to follow the mystery star.
This gorgeous image, based on data recorded on October 21 with
the US Naval Observatory's
1.55 meter telescope,
adopts the color scheme used in
previous Hubble images
for easy comparison.
APOD: 2003 April 2 - V838 Light Echo: The Movie
Explanation:
What caused this outburst of V838 Mon?
For reasons unknown, star V838 Mon's
outer surface suddenly greatly expanded with the
result that it became the brightest star in the entire
Milky Way Galaxy.
Then, just as suddenly, it faded.
A stellar flash like this has never been seen before --
supernovas
and novas expel matter out into space.
Although the V838 Mon flash appears to expel material into space, what is seen in the
above four-frame movie is actually an outwardly moving
light echo of the bright flash.
The actual time-span of the movie is 8 months during 2002.
In a light echo, light from the flash is
reflected by successively more distant rings in the complex array of ambient
interstellar dust
that already surrounded the star.
V838 Mon lies about 20,000
light years away toward the
constellation of
Monoceros, while the largest
light echo above spans about
six light years in diameter.
APOD: 2003 March 27 - Light Echoes from V838 Mon
Explanation:
Nominated
for most mysterious star in the Milky Way,
V838 Monocerotis briefly became one of the brightest stars
in our galaxy.
Its outburst
discovered
in January 2002,
observations have
indicated that V838
Mon somehow
transformed itself
over a period of months from a small under-luminous star a
little hotter than the Sun, to a highly-luminous,
cool supergiant star -- defying the conventional
understanding
of erupting stars and stellar life cycles.
In this
spectacular image, one of a
series recorded last year by the Hubble Space Telescope, the dimmed
V838 Mon is surrounded by an "expanding" nebula.
But the nebula
is actually a series of
light
echoes from formerly unseen shells of dust up to light-years
in diameter.
Previously ejected, the intricate shells
progressively
reflect light as it reaches them from V838 Mon's outbursts.
Astronomers anticipate that light echoes from farther out
in the dust envelope will continue to be visible
until about 2010.
Some estimates now
place V838 Mon
about 20,000 light-years from planet Earth.
APOD: 2002 October 3 - V838 Mon: Mystery Star
Explanation:
A leading candidate for the most mysterious star found in recent
times is variable star
V838 Monocerotis.
At a distance of about 8,000 light-years, V838
Mon was
discovered
to be in outburst in January of this year.
Initially thought to be a familiar type of
classical nova, astronomers
quickly realized that instead, V838 Mon may be a totally new addition to
the astronomical zoo.
Observations indicate
that the erupting star transformed itself
over a period of months from a small under-luminous star a little
hotter than the Sun, to a highly-luminous, cool supergiant star undergoing
rapid and complex brightness changes.
The transformation defies the conventional understanding of
stellar life cycles.
A most notable feature of V838 Mon is the "expanding" nebula which
now appears to surround it.
Seen above in two separate images from the
South African Astronomical
Observatory's 1 meter telescope,
the nebula is probably a light echo
from
shells of formerly unseen material lost by the star
during its previous evolution.
Light-years in diameter, the shells progressively reflect
the light from
V838 Mon's
outbursts, providing
an opportunity to look back at the history of this
remarkable star's behaviour.