WR 134周围的星云

WR 134周围的星云

The Nebulous Realm of WR 134
Image Credit & Copyright: Xin Long

Explanation: Made with narrowband filters, this cosmic snapshot covers a field of view over twice as wide as the full Moon within the boundaries of the constellation Cygnus. It highlights the bright edge of a ring-like nebula traced by the glow of ionized hydrogen and oxygen gas. Embedded in the region’s expanse of interstellar clouds, the complex, glowing arcs are sections of shells of material swept up by the wind from Wolf-Rayet star WR 134, brightest star near the center of the frame. Distance estimates put WR 134 about 6,000 light-years away, making the frame over 100 light-years across. Shedding their outer envelopes in powerful stellar winds, massive Wolf-Rayet stars have burned through their nuclear fuel at a prodigious rate and end this final phase of massive star evolution in a spectacular supernova explosion. The stellar winds and final supernova enrich the interstellar material with heavy elements to be incorporated in future generations of stars.

Tomorrow’s picture: stereo moon

WR 134周围的星云
影像提供与版权: Xin Long

说明: 这幅透过窄波段滤镜拍摄的宇宙快照，涵盖了天鹅座大约2个多满月宽度的区域。经由记录电离氢气和氧气的辐射，这幅影像突显了一团环状的星云之明亮前沿。这圈镶在周遭广袤星际气体和尘埃云里的复杂光弧，则是受到位于影像中心附近的明亮沃尔夫-拉叶星WR 134之恒星风推扫，因而堆积出的壳层状物质之一部份。WR 134的估计距离约为6,000光年，因此这幅影像涵盖了超过100光年宽的区域。以惊人的速度燃烧核燃料的大质量沃尔夫-拉叶星，透过强烈的恒星风抛弃自己的外层气壳，最后会以壮观的超新星爆炸为恒星演化的最后阶段划下句点。这类恒星的恒星风及最后的超新星爆炸，会为星际物质注入大量的重元素，成为未来世代恒星的造星材料。

明日的图片: stereo moon