Awesome, 'Ring of Fire' forms around Supernova

This is startlingly beautiful and just got posted on the Hubble news center. The beauty and sheer size of this thing is amazing, a 6 TRILLION MILE WIDE ring of gas.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/5f9e7f865afc.jpg[/atsimg]

From the news source:

An international team of astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope reports a significant brightening of the emissions from Supernova 1987A. The results, which appear in this week's Science magazine, are consistent with theoretical predictions about how supernovae interact with their immediate galactic environment.

The team observed the supernova remnant in optical, ultraviolet, and near-infrared light. They studied the interaction between the ejecta from the stellar explosion and a glowing 6-trillion-mile-diameter ring of gas encircling the supernova remnant. The gas ring was probably shed some 20,000 years before the supernova exploded. Shock waves resulting from the impact of the ejecta onto the ring have brightened 30 to 40 pearl-like "hot spots" in the ring. These blobs likely will grow and merge together in the coming years to form a continuous, glowing circle.

hubblesite.org...

What a beautiful and mindblowing post and photo. Thanks for this!

Johnny Cash would be proud!

IRM

reply to post by InfaRedMan


Wouldn't like to fall into that though...

Awesome pic, S+F

Kyle

every relizes that 6 trillion miles is more then 1 light year right?
to make it even more oves for light starting from the sun to the last planet takes a little over two day .
so compare our system that has a 2 day light edge to a system that has a 365 day light to edge of system .
thats ----- 5,878,500,600,000 miles for 1 light year = very close to 6 trillion.
sun to Neptune 2,800,000,000

[edit on 3-9-2010 by xxcalbier]

[edit on 3-9-2010 by xxcalbier]

[edit on 3-9-2010 by xxcalbier]

Awesome picture! Thanks for posting this . The Size and complexity, and the sheer beauty of the universe is just astounding.

I love the way the universe works majority of the time. It pulls off some stunning things that when captured are simply breath-taking. Suddenly feel like painting pictures instead of drawing.

OMG they killed kenny! heheh
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/d3e1c8f9eb91.jpg[/atsimg]

reply to post by bluemooone2


Dam! That looks like a Christmas angel in the middle!



reply to post by xxcalbier


I think that's amazing, one light year is 5.88 trillion miles across, so this one supernova gas ring stretches for a whole light year. Stunning stuff...

And who says there's no architect!?

I like the feint infinity symbol too. The figure 8 looping through the 2 stars and the ring in the middle. Interesting stuff.

reminds me of lying on my back
looking up at fireworks.

Just gota bump this cause its so awesome . Kina blows my mind that we captured this butt looks like we did)

The universe is amazing. I wish I could travel the stars and check out other planets and stellar phenomenon. I'm born in the wrong generation!


... or am I?