Today's Edition
A.SREENIVASA REDDY (ABU DHABI)
An Abu Dhabi-based observatory has captured an enchanting image of a uniquely shaped nebula, estimated to be 900 light years from Earth. Al Khatim Observatory, located in the desert between Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, achieved this after 39 hours of imaging.
Observatory Director Mohammad Odeh told Aletihad this “reflection” nebula is situated in the Eridanus constellation, near the famous star Rigel, one of the brightest stars in the sky. The nebula consists of interstellar gas and dust that reflect Rigel’s light, giving it a distinct blue appearance.
“The nebula’s unique shape, resembling a witch’s face with a long nose, is a result of interactions between strong stellar winds and radiation from Rigel, which sculpt the gas clouds into their distinctive form,” Odeh said.
“It was one of the most difficult objects captured by the observatory as their mission was marred by aerial pollution,” Odeh said.
The witch head nebula belongs to a category known as reflection nebulae, which do not emit light on their own; rather, they reflect light from a nearby 'bright' star. This category of nebulae is very difficult to access for observation, Odeh said.
The other type of nebulae, known as emission nebulae, shine on their own, and their atoms are “excited” by a nearby “hot” star, leading to self-illumination. This category of nebulae is relatively easy to spot and capture with light pollution filters on the camera, Odeh added.
Usually, winter and summer are good times for observing and capturing nebulae, Odeh said. “But springtime can be difficult for astronomers to capture this unique celestial phenomenon.”
When asked about this witch-shaped nebula, he said it usually would have taken 10 days, with an average of four or five hours each day, to capture this image. But with skies not being clear, it took us nearly a month to capture this uniquely shaped nebula, he added.
A nebula, which is nothing but gas and cosmic dust, can be a result of the explosion of a star. It could also be the start of the formation of a new star, the astronomer said. Usually, emission nebulae are the precursors of a new star, he said.
Al Khatim Observatory is a fully remote and robotic observatory operated by the International Astronomical Center and was established in January 2021. It is situated approximately 50 kilometres from Abu Dhabi. It is registered with the Minor Planet Center of the International Astronomical Union.
