Subj : Daily APOD Report
To   : All
From : Alan Ianson
Date : Sat Feb 05 2022 00:04:50

                        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.

                               2022 February 5
     See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest
                        resolution version available.

                             Symbiotic R Aquarii
     Image Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO/R. Montez et al.; Optical: Data:
           NASA/ESA/STScI, Processing: Judy Schmidt (CC BY-NC-SA)

   Explanation: Variable star R Aquarii is actually an interacting binary
   star system, two stars that seem to have a close symbiotic
   relationship. Centered in this space-based optical/x-ray composite
   image it lies about 710 light years away. The intriguing system
   consists of a cool red giant star and hot, dense white dwarf star in
   mutual orbit around their common center of mass. With binoculars you
   can watch as R Aquarii steadily changes its brightness over the course
   of a year or so. The binary system's visible light is dominated by the
   red giant, itself a Mira-type long period variable star. But material
   in the cool giant star's extended envelope is pulled by gravity onto
   the surface of the smaller, denser white dwarf, eventually triggering a
   thermonuclear explosion, blasting material into space. Astronomers have
   seen such outbursts over recent decades. Evidence for much older
   outbursts is seen in these spectacular structures spanning almost a
   light-year as observed by the Hubble Space Telescope (in red and blue).
   Data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory (in purple) shows the X-ray
   glow from shock waves created as a jet from the white dwarf strikes
   surrounding material.

                     Tomorrow's picture: our fair planet
     __________________________________________________________________

   < | Archive | Submissions | Index | Search | Calendar | RSS | Education
                         | About APOD | Discuss | >
     __________________________________________________________________

       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
                NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC
                             & Michigan Tech. U.
--- BBBS/Li6 v4.10 Toy-5
 * Origin: The Rusty MailBox - Penticton, BC Canada (1:153/757)

.