Giant 'soap bubble' found floating in space!

IT LOOKS like a soap bubble or perhaps even a camera fault, but the image at right is a newly discovered planetary nebula. Planetary nebulae, which got their name after being misidentified by early astronomers, are formed when an ageing star weighing up to eight times the mass of the sun ejects its outer layers as clouds of luminous gas (see Why stars go out in a blaze of glory). Most are elliptical, double-lobed or cigar-shaped, evolving after stars eject gas from each pole.

New Scientist article.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/ed82702f4052.jpg[/atsimg]

I just came across this doing my usual trawl of science, space and technology news sites and thought i would share it with you all.

It constantly amazes me the stuff we find out in space, this looks incredible.

That's a pretty cool picture. It's so beautiful. Look at all those stars.

So that bubble I blew really did make it out of our atmosphere!

Score!

Seriously, that's pretty out of place don't you think?

It's very interesting.

Well, there goes the theory that Nibiru's atmosphere is covered with gold particles.

...that's no bubble... that's a space station!

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wow nice pic!

I would to have loved to watch that nova pop! That is a gorgeous nebula!

reply to post by prevenge


Hhaha, i was wondering how long that would tkae, I'm glad SOMEBODY made the joke.

That's a pretty sight, I didn't know that happened. Do we know how fast it moves? How big it is?

reply to post by Alexander the Great


Really, out of place? I think it looks perfectly at home there lol!

Come to think of it does anyone know how a soap bubble would actually act in zero gravity?

well I doubt its made of soap but possibly glass or crystal.although no light distortion hmmmm.odd.......... edit; or possibly water

[edit on 23-7-2009 by genius/idoit]

[edit on 23-7-2009 by genius/idoit]

reply to post by refuse_orders


That's just the camera flash reflecting off a giant piece of dust in space.

Just for the record i know this isn't actually a soap bubble lol. I just copied the title of the original article.

I was asking though how does a soap bubble act in zero gravity though (ie if one was blown on the ISS). Does anyone know?

its actually Nibiru using its Klingon cloaking device. Awesome that spell check worked on Klingon but not Nibiru. Guess even spell check knows whats made up....

You might like this really dry demonstration of water bubbles in micrograv.

Any idea how big this actually is? Looks awesome.

reply to post by dainoyfb


Thanks for the link, that's pretty damn cool!

reply to post by PsykoOps


I have no idea, I can't find any more information on it yet due to it being a recent discovery i guess.

Originally posted by genius/idoit
well I doubt its made of soap but possibly glass or crystal.although no light distortion hmmmm.odd.......... edit; or possibly water

Not really --

It's probably made of gas and dust, just like other nebulae. This is a "planatary nebula" -- which is formed from exploding stars. The stuff that came from the exploding star moves outward from the center of the star -- like a shell or bubble.

It just so happens that this nebula looks more like like a bubble than others. However, this one is definitely quite remarkable looking and very beautiful.

Here are some others:
Abell 39
Spirograph Nebula

[edit on 7/24/2009 by Soylent Green Is People]

Uh Oh, they have turned on their shields. The intergalactic war could be about to begin.

Seriously, cool picture.

reply to post by refuse_orders

If the Mormons are right...we have found God!

From the inspired writings of the Prophet we learn that angels "reside in the presence of God, on a globe like a sea of glass and fire, where all things for their glory are manifest, past, present, and future, and are continually before the Lord. The place where God resides is a great Urim and Thummim. This earth, in its sanctified and immortal state, will be made like unto crystal and will be a Urim and Thummim to the inhabitants who dwell thereon, whereby all things pertaining to an inferior kingdom, or all kingdoms of a lower order, will be manifest to those who dwell on it; and this earth will be Christ's.

www.lightplanet.com...

Well for what it's worth, here's an articale from FoxNews:
www.foxnews.com...

Also, here is the page to one of the guys credited with the discovery.
www.starima... ger.com/Image%20Gallery%20Pages/Hydrogen%20Alpha%20Images/ic%201318_AP_8%20pane%20mosaic_bubble%20nebula.htm

[edit on 03/12/2009 by thinkingAhead]

[edit on 03/12/2009 by thinkingAhead]

reply to post by Soylent Green Is People


And it may not be "planetary" in nature, but there's always the original "bubble nebula," NGC 7635, seen here in HST palette narrowband:
apod.nasa.gov...