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                           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.   
      
                                 2024 December 30   
       A starfield is shown with a frame dominated by a gaseous nebula. The   
       nebula, filled with structure, appears orange in the center but blue   
          around the edges. Please see the explanation for more detailed   
                                   information.   
      
                             M27: The Dumbbell Nebula   
                   Image Credit & Copyright: Christopher Stobie   
      
      Explanation: Is this what will become of our Sun? Quite possibly. The   
      first hint of our Sun's future was discovered inadvertently in 1764. At   
      that time, Charles Messier was compiling a list of diffuse objects not   
      to be confused with comets. The 27th object on Messier's list, now   
      known as M27 or the Dumbbell Nebula, is a planetary nebula, one of the   
      brightest planetary nebulas on the sky and visible with binoculars   
      toward the constellation of the Fox (Vulpecula). It takes light about   
      1000 years to reach us from M27, featured here in colors emitted by   
      sulfur (red), hydrogen (green) and oxygen (blue). We now know that in   
      about 6 billion years, our Sun will shed its outer gases into a   
      planetary nebula like M27, while its remaining center will become an   
      X-ray hot white dwarf star. Understanding the physics and significance   
      of M27 was well beyond 18th century science, though. Even today, many   
      things remain mysterious about planetary nebulas, including how their   
      intricate shapes are created.   
      
           APOD Year in Review: Night Sky Network Presentation for 2024   
                       Tomorrow's picture: dark and twisted   
        __________________________________________________________________   
      
          Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)   
               NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.   
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                                & Michigan Tech. U.   
      
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