The September 29, 2026, Astronomy Picture of the Day highlights the Shrimp Nebula, a large planetary nebula moving rapidly through space.
Key facts
- •Sh2-188 is one of the larger planetary nebulas in the night sky by angular size.
- •The nebula spans about half the diameter of the Moon.
- •The central white-dwarf core is moving through interstellar space at high speed.
- •A bow shock is visible on the upper left of the nebula.
- •The image was captured in Krakow, Poland, using hydrogen, sulfur, and oxygen light.
NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day for September 29, 2026, features Sh2-188, commonly known as the Shrimp Nebula. This planetary nebula is notable for its large angular size, spanning approximately half the diameter of the Moon in the night sky.
Characteristics of the Shrimp Nebula
The nebula is formed by the core of a Sun-like star that has shed its outer atmosphere. This white-dwarf core is traveling through interstellar space at an unusually high speed. This movement creates a bow shock, most visible on the upper left of the nebula, which astronomers compare to a boat moving through water. The nebula also glows by compressing and brightening gas along its leading edge.
Image Capture and Processing
The featured image was captured using a backyard telescope located in Krakow, Poland. The photograph was taken using light from hydrogen, sulfur, and oxygen, and was subsequently digitally adjusted to approximate the nebula's true colors.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by NASA Breaking News.
