Explanation:
What created this huge space bubble?
Blown by the wind from a star, this
tantalizing, ghostly
apparition is cataloged as NGC 7635, but known simply
as The
Bubble Nebula.
Astronomer Eric Mouquet's
striking view utilizes a long exposure with
hydrogen alpha
light to reveal the intricate details of
this cosmic bubble and its environment.
Although it looks delicate, the 10
light-year
diameter bubble offers evidence of
violent processes at work.
Seen here above and right of the Bubble's center is a bright
hot star embedded in reflecting dust.
A fierce
stellar wind
and intense radiation from the star, which likely has a mass 10 to 20 times that
of the Sun,
has blasted out the
structure of glowing gas
against denser material in a surrounding molecular cloud.
The intriguing Bubble Nebula lies a mere 11,000 light-years away toward the boastful
constellation
Cassiopeia.
