Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]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.

                              2025 November 24
     [2]A starfield has a large and unusual red and orange nebula in the
     middle. The nebula seems to contain not only swirls but also nearly
      transparent shells. Please see the explanation for more detailed
                                information.

                     Apep: Unusual Dust Shells from Webb
     Image Credit: [3]NASA, [4]ESA, [5]CSA, [6]STScI, [7]JWST; Science:
       [8]Y. Han ([9]Caltech), [10]R. White ([11]Macquarie U.); Image
                    Processing: [12]A. Pagan ([13]STScI)

   Explanation: What created this unusual space sculpture? [14]Stars. This
   unusual system of swirls and shells, known as [15]Apep, was observed in
   unprecedented detail by [16]NASA’s [17]James Webb Space Telescope in
   [18]infrared light in 2024. [19]Observations indicate that the
   [20]unusual shape originates from two massive [21]Wolf-Rayet stars
   orbiting each other every 190 years with each close passes causing a
   new shell of [22]dust and gas to be [23]expelled. Holes in these shells
   are thought to be caused by a [24]third orbiting star. This stellar
   dust [25]dance will likely continue for hundreds of thousands of years,
   possibly ending only when one of the [26]massive stars runs out of
   internal nuclear fuel and explodes in a [27]supernova punctuated by a
   [28]burst of gamma-rays.

         Build your own star system: [29]Astronomy Puzzle of the Day
                    Tomorrow's picture: picturesque comet
     __________________________________________________________________

      [30]< | [31]Archive | [32]Submissions | [33]Index | [34]Search |
   [35]Calendar | [36]RSS | [37]Education | [38]About APOD | [39]Discuss |
                                    [40]>
     __________________________________________________________________

    Authors & editors: [41]Robert Nemiroff ([42]MTU) & [43]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([44]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [45]Specific rights apply.
            [46]NASA Web Privacy, [47]Accessibility, [48]Notices;
                A service of: [49]ASD at [50]NASA / [51]GSFC,
                         [52]NASA Science Activation
                           & [53]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2511/ApepStars_webb_960.jpg
   3. https://www.nasa.gov/
   4. https://www.esa.int/
   5. https://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/
   6. https://www.stsci.edu/
   7. https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/about-overview/
   8. https://www.gps.caltech.edu/people/yinuo-han
   9. https://www.gps.caltech.edu/
  10. https://researchers.mq.edu.au/en/persons/ryan-white/
  11. https://www.mq.edu.au/
  12. https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyssa-pagan-058170144
  13. https://www.stsci.edu/
  14. https://science.nasa.gov/universe/stars/
  15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apep_(star_system)
  16. https://www.nasa.gov/
  17. https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/
  18. https://science.nasa.gov/ems/07_infraredwaves/
  19. https://science.nasa.gov/asset/webb/wolf-rayet-apep-miri-image/
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250129.html
  21. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf–Rayet_star
  22. https://www.nsf.gov/news/all-we-are-dust-interstellar-wind
  23. https://youtu.be/fITdexBNfkQ
  24. https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https://i.redd.it/eed001y92q8d1.jpeg
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap200304.html
  26. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_massive_stars
  27. https://youtu.be/wymMn-SmALY
  28. https://science.nasa.gov/universe/gamma-ray-bursts-harvesting-knowledge-from-the-universes-most-powerful-explosions/
  29. https://www.scigames.org/apps/webjigsaw2/index.php
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap251123.html
  31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  33. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  34. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  35. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  36. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  37. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  38. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  39. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=251124
  40. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap251125.html
  41. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  42. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  43. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  44. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  45. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  46. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  47. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  48. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  49. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  50. https://www.nasa.gov/
  51. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  52. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  53. http://www.mtu.edu/