I've always said that if you want to get people more excited about astronomy, name the stars after snacks (
case in point).
It seems like NASA has finally heeded this sound advice, and announced
that the Ring Nebula is actually more like a jelly doughnut:
The
Ring Nebula, whose iconic shape and large size make it a favorite of
amateur astronomers, can now be seen in new detail, after NASA's Hubble
Space Telescope captured a sharp image of the nebula. Researchers say
the new clarity reveals details that were previously unseen, and a
structure that's more complex than scientists had believed.
"The
nebula is not like a bagel, but rather, it's like a jelly doughnut,
because it's filled with material in the middle," says C. Robert O'Dell
of Vanderbilt University, who leads a team of researchers studying the
Ring Nebula. They combined Hubble's visible-light images with infrared
data from telescopes on Earth.
Now doesn't that just make you yearn for more confectionery, ... er, astronomy? NPR's Bill Chapell has the scoop:
Here.
No comments:
Post a Comment