Ou4: The Giant Squid Nebula

Ou4: The Giant Squid Nebula

Image Credit & Copyright:
Alex Linde

Explanation:
Squids on Earth aren’t this big.

This mysterious squid-like cosmic cloud spans nearly three
full moons on planet Earth’s sky.

Discovered in 2011 by French astro-imager
Nicolas Outters,
the Squid Nebula’s
bipolar shape is distinguished
here by the telltale blue
emission from
doubly ionized
oxygen atoms.

Though apparently
surrounded by
the reddish hydrogen emission region Sh2-129,
the true distance and nature of the Squid
Nebula have been difficult to determine.

Still, one
investigation
suggests Ou4 really does lie
within Sh2-129
some 2,300 light-years away.

Consistent with that scenario, the cosmic squid
would represent a spectacular outflow of material driven by a
triple system
of hot, massive stars, cataloged as
HR8119,
seen near the center of the nebula.

If so, this truly giant squid nebula would physically be over 50
light-years across.