Subj : Daily APOD Report
To   : All
From : Alan Ianson
Date : Sun Apr 09 2023 00:42:00

                        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.

                                2023 April 9

                      The Egg Nebula in Polarized Light
   Image Credit: Hubble Heritage Team (STScI / AURA), W. Sparks (STScI) &
                            R. Sahai (JPL), NASA

   Explanation: Where is the center of the Egg Nebula? Emerging from a
   cosmic egg, the star in the center of the Egg Nebula is casting away
   shells of gas and dust as it slowly transforms itself into a white
   dwarf star. The Egg Nebula is a rapidly evolving pre- planetary nebula
   spanning about one light year. It lies some 3,000 light-years away
   toward the northern constellation Cygnus. Thick dust blocks the center
   star from view, while the dust shells farther out reflect light from
   this star. Light vibrating in the plane defined by each dust grain, the
   central star, and the observer is preferentially reflected, causing an
   effect known as polarization. Measuring the orientation of the
   polarized light for the Egg Nebula gives clues to location of the
   hidden source. Taken by Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys
   in 2002, this image is rendered in artifical "Easter-Egg" colors coded
   to highlight the orientation of polarization.

                       Tomorrow's picture: big chicken
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