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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.   
      
                                   2023 July 17   
      A star surrounded by orange shells and arcs sit in the center of a dark   
       starfield. Galaxies from the distant universe can be seen around the   
         edges. Please see the explanation for more detailed information.   
      
                       Shells and Arcs around Star CW Leonis   
        Image Credit: ESA, NASA, Hubble, T. Ueta (U. Denver), H. Kim (KASI)   
      
      Explanation: What's happening around this star? No one is sure. CW   
      Leonis is the closest carbon star, a star that appears orange because   
      of atmospheric carbon dispersed from interior nuclear fusion. But CW   
      Leonis also appears engulfed in a gaseous carbon-rich nebula. What   
      causes the nebula's complexity is unknown, but its geometry of shells   
      and arcs are surely intriguing. The featured image by the Hubble Space   
      Telescope details this complexity. The low surface gravity of carbon   
      stars enhances their ability to expel carbon and carbon compounds into   
      space. Some of this carbon ends up forming dark dust that is commonly   
      seen in the nebulas of young star-forming regions and the disks of   
      galaxies. Humans and all Earth-based life are carbon-based, and at   
      least some of our carbon was likely once circulating in the atmospheres   
      of near-death stars like carbon stars.   
      
                      Tomorrow's picture: telescopes and sky   
        __________________________________________________________________   
      
          Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)   
               NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.   
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                         A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,   
                              NASA Science Activation   
                                & Michigan Tech. U.   
      
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