Unusual Nebula Pa 30
Channel: APOD YT
Date: 2024-04-03

What created this unusual celestial firework? The nebula, dubbed Pa 30, appears in the same sky direction now as a bright "guest star" did in the year 1181. Although Pa 30's filaments look similar to that created by a nova (for example GK Per), and a planetary nebula (for example NGC 6751), some astronomers now propose that it was created by a rare type of supernova: a thermonuclear Type Iax, and so is (also) named SN 1181.  In this model, the supernova was not the result of the detonation of a single star, but rather a blast that occurred when two white dwarf stars spiraled together and merged.  The blue dot in the center is hypothesized to be a zombie star, the remnant white dwarf that somehow survived this supernova-level explosion.  The featured image combines images and data obtained with infrared (WISE), visible  (MDM, Pan-STARRS), and X-ray (Chandra, XMM) telescopes.  Future observations and analyses may tell us more.   NASA Coverage: Total Solar Eclipse of 2024 April 8

Direct image/video url: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2404/Pa30V_NASA_960.jpg

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