MSGID: 1:153/757.0 d7ddaa3b   
   TZUTC: -0800   
   CHRS: LATIN-1 2   
                           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.   
      
                                  2026 January 5   
       A dark field surrounds a red nebula. The shape of the nebula appears   
                                  like the letter   
      
                       The Red Rectangle Nebula from Hubble   
        Image Credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble; Processing & License: Judy Schmidt   
      
      Explanation: How was the unusual Red Rectangle nebula created? At the   
      nebula's center is an aging binary star system that surely powers the   
      nebula but does not, as yet, explain its colors. The unusual shape of   
      the Red Rectangle is likely due to a thick dust torus which pinches the   
      otherwise spherical outflow into tip-touching cone shapes. Because we   
      view the torus edge-on, the boundary edges of the cone shapes seem to   
      form an X. The distinct rungs suggest the outflow occurs in fits and   
      starts. The unusual colors of the nebula are less well understood,   
      however, and speculation holds that they are partly provided by   
      hydrocarbon molecules that may actually be building blocks for organic   
      life. The Red Rectangle nebula lies about 2,300 light years away   
      towards the constellation of the Unicorn (Monoceros). The nebula is   
      shown here in great detail as a reprocessed image from Hubble Space   
      Telescope. In a few million years, as one of the central stars becomes   
      further depleted of nuclear fuel, the Red Rectangle nebula will likely   
      bloom into a planetary nebula.   
      
                      Tomorrow's picture: jupiter-sized mess   
        __________________________________________________________________   
      
          Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)   
               NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.   
                     NASA Web Privacy, Accessibility, Notices;   
                         A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,   
                              NASA Science Activation   
                                & Michigan Tech. U.   
      
   --- BBBS/Li6 v4.10 Toy-7   
    * Origin: The Rusty MailBox - Penticton, BC Canada (1:153/757)   
   SEEN-BY: 1/19 100 16/0 19/10 37 105/81 106/201 123/130 128/187 129/14   
   SEEN-BY: 129/305 134/100 142/104 153/135 143 148 151 757 6809 7083   
   SEEN-BY: 153/7715 154/110 201/0 203/0 218/700 840 221/1 6 360 226/30   
   SEEN-BY: 227/114 229/110 112 134 206 275 307 317 400 426 428 470 664   
   SEEN-BY: 229/700 705 240/5832 266/512 280/5003 5006 291/111 301/1   
   SEEN-BY: 320/119 219 319 2119 322/757 762 335/364 341/66 342/200 396/45   
   SEEN-BY: 423/81 460/58 633/280 712/848 902/26 5020/400 5075/35   
   PATH: 153/757 221/6 1 320/219 229/426