MSGID: 1:153/757.0 d52742ae   
   TZUTC: -0700   
   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.   
      
                                  2023 October 31   
       The center of the Wizard Nebula is shown featuring gas glowing in red   
      and dust reflecting in blue. Dark dust pillars are seen throughout the   
         image. Please see the explanation for more detailed information.   
      
                          Halloween and the Wizard Nebula   
                     Image Credit & Copyright: Richard McInnis   
      
      Explanation: Halloween's origin is ancient and astronomical. Since the   
      fifth century BC, Halloween has been celebrated as a cross-quarter day,   
      a day halfway between an equinox (equal day / equal night) and a   
      solstice (minimum day / maximum night in the northern hemisphere). With   
      a modern calendar however, even though Halloween occurs today, the real   
      cross-quarter day will occur next week. Another cross-quarter day is   
      Groundhog Day. Halloween's modern celebration retains historic roots in   
      dressing to scare away the spirits of the dead. Perhaps a fitting   
      tribute to this ancient holiday is this closeup view of the Wizard   
      Nebula (NGC 7380). Visually, the interplay of stars, gas, and dust has   
      created a shape that appears to some like a fictional ancient sorcerer.   
      Although the nebula may last only a few million years, some of the   
      stars being conjured from the gas by the great gravitational powers may   
      outlive our Sun.   
      
                           Tomorrow's picture: sun block   
        __________________________________________________________________   
      
          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.   
      
   --- BBBS/Li6 v4.10 Toy-6   
    * Origin: The Rusty MailBox - Penticton, BC Canada (1:153/757)   
   SEEN-BY: 1/123 15/0 90/1 105/81 106/201 123/131 129/305 134/100 153/135   
   SEEN-BY: 153/143 757 802 6809 7715 218/700 840 221/1 6 226/30 227/114   
   SEEN-BY: 229/110 112 113 206 307 317 400 426 428 470 664 700 240/1120   
   SEEN-BY: 266/512 282/1038 291/111 301/1 113 812 305/3 317/3 320/219   
   SEEN-BY: 322/757 335/364 341/66 342/200 396/45 460/58 256 1124 633/280   
   SEEN-BY: 712/848 5020/400 1042 5054/30 5075/35   
   PATH: 153/757 221/6 301/1 460/58 229/426