Halloween and the Wizard Nebula
Channel: APOD YT
Date: 2023-10-31

Halloween's origin is ancient and astronomical.  Since the fifth century BC, Halloween has been celebrated as a cross-quarter day, a day halfway between an equinox (equal day / equal night) and a solstice (minimum day / maximum night in the northern hemisphere).  With a modern calendar however, even though Halloween occurs today, the real cross-quarter day will occur next week.  Another cross-quarter day is Groundhog Day. Halloween's modern celebration retains historic roots in dressing to scare away the spirits of the dead.  Perhaps a fitting tribute to this ancient holiday is this closeup view of the Wizard Nebula (NGC 7380).  Visually, the interplay of stars, gas, and dust has created a shape that appears to some like a fictional ancient sorcerer. Although the nebula may last only a few million years, some of the stars being conjured from the gas by the great gravitational powers may outlive our Sun.

Direct image/video url: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2310/WizardCenter_McInnis_960.jpg

This can also be found at: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
Image Credit & Copyright: 
Richard McInnis