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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 June 17   
        A starfield has a red nebula covering much of the frame but in the   
        center, extending nearly vertically, is a blue nebula that appears   
        shaped, to some, like a squid. Please see the explanation for more   
                               detailed information.   
      
                            Ou4: The Giant Squid Nebula   
                       Image Credit & Copyright: Alex Linde   
      
      Explanation: Squids on Earth aren't this big. This mysterious   
      squid-like cosmic cloud spans nearly three full moons on planet Earth's   
      sky. Discovered in 2011 by French astro-imager Nicolas Outters, the   
      Squid Nebula's bipolar shape is distinguished here by the telltale blue   
      emission from doubly ionized oxygen atoms. Though apparently surrounded   
      by the reddish hydrogen emission region Sh2-129, the true distance and   
      nature of the Squid Nebula have been difficult to determine. Still, one   
      investigation suggests Ou4 really does lie within Sh2-129 some 2,300   
      light-years away. Consistent with that scenario, the cosmic squid would   
      represent a spectacular outflow of material driven by a triple system   
      of hot, massive stars, cataloged as HR8119, seen near the center of the   
      nebula. If so, this truly giant squid nebula would physically be over   
      50 light-years across.   
      
                         Tomorrow's picture: thunder jets   
        __________________________________________________________________   
      
          Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)   
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