                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                                2023 April 7

                                 Rigel Wide
                       Image Credit: Rheinhold Wittich

   Explanation: Brilliant, blue, supergiant star Rigel marks the foot of
   Orion the Hunter in planet Earth's night. Designated Beta Orionis, it's
   at the center of this remarkably deep and wide field of view. Rigel's
   blue color indicates that it is much hotter than its rival supergiant
   in Orion the yellowish Betelgeuse (Alpha Orionis), though both stars
   are massive enough to eventually end their days as core collapse
   supernovae. Some 860 light-years away, Rigel is hotter than the Sun too
   and extends to about 74 times the solar radius. That's about the size
   of the orbit of Mercury. In the 10 degree wide frame toward the nebula
   rich constellation, the Orion Nebula is at the upper left. To the right
   of Rigel and illuminated by its brilliant blue starlight lies the dusty
   Witch Head Nebula. Rigel is part of a multiple star system, though its
   companion stars are much fainter.

                     Tomorrow's picture: medieval times
     __________________________________________________________________

       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
                NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,
                           NASA Science Activation
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

