It figures that this close to Halloween, something wicked would show up in the stars. Astronomers can call this a nebula if they want; you and I both know that it’s a demon spawn of intergalactic proportions.
Discovered by astronomers at BYU, the above is being called the “Fiery Owl Nebula,” a section of all that remains of a massive star that exploded thousands of years ago. It’s a gaseous shell of hydrogen, ionized oxygen and sulfur, getting its colors and textures from still-expanding shockwave caused by that star’s violent extinction. Meaning that in many ways, it’s very much a ghost. [BYU via PhysOrg]
