Explanation:
Named for Australian astronomer
Colin Stanley
Gum (1924-1960),
The
Gum Nebula is so large and close
it is actually hard to see.
In fact, we are only about
450 light-years from the front edge
and 1,500 light-years from the back edge of this
cosmic cloud of glowing hydrogen gas.
Covered in
this 41 degree-wide
mosaic of H-alpha images, the faint
emission region is otherwise easy to lose against the
background of Milky Way stars.
The complex
nebula is thought to be a
supernova remnant over a million years old,
sprawling
across the southern constellations Vela and Puppis.
Sliding your cursor over this spectacular wide field view will
reveal the location of objects embedded in The Gum Nebula, including the
Vela supernova remnant.
