Gum Nebula

Gum Nebula
Supernova remnant
Observation data: J2000.0 epoch
Right ascension 08h 00m :s
Declination −43° 00 :
Distance 1470 ly   (450 pc)
Apparent magnitude (V) +12 (infrared only)
Constellation Vela
Physical characteristics
Absolute magnitude (V) 3.73 (infrared)
Designations Gum 12
The Gum Nebula is visible as the faint large red nebula in this image. Credit: P. Horálek/ESO

The Gum Nebula (Gum 12) is an emission nebula that extends across 40° in the southern constellations Vela and Puppis. It lies roughly 400 parsecs from the Earth. Hard to distinguish, it is believed to be the greatly expanded (and still expanding) remains of a supernova that took place about a million years ago. It contains the smaller and younger Vela Supernova Remnant, along with the Vela Pulsar.

It is named after its discoverer, the Australian astronomer Colin Stanley Gum (1924–1960). Gum had published his findings in 1955 in a work called A study of diffuse southern H-alpha nebulae (see Gum catalog).

Popular culture

The Gum Nebula is explored by the crew of the Starship Titan in the Star Trek novel Orion's Hounds.[1]

See also

External links

References

  1. Bennett, Christopher (2005-12-27). Orion's Hounds. Pocket Books. ISBN 141650950X.
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