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APOD: IC 2118: The Witch Head Nebula (2023 Oct 04)
Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2023 4:05 am
by APOD Robot
IC 2118: The Witch Head Nebula
Explanation: Does this nebula look like the head of a witch? The nebula is
known popularly as the Witch Head Nebula because, it is said, the nebula's shape resembles a
Halloween-style caricature of a witch's head. Exactly how, though, can be a topic of imaginative speculation. What is clear is that
IC 2118 is about 50
light-years across and made of gas and dust that points to -- because it has been partly eroded by -- the nearby star
Rigel. One of the brighter stars in the constellation Orion,
Rigel lies below the bottom of the
featured image. The blue color of the Witch Head Nebula and is caused not only by
Rigel's intense blue starlight but because the
dust grains scatter blue light more efficiently than red. The same
physical process causes Earth's daytime
sky to appear blue, although the scatterers in planet
Earth's atmosphere are molecules of
nitrogen and
oxygen.
Re: APOD: IC 2118: The Witch Head Nebula (2023 Oct 04)
Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2023 6:08 am
by Ann
The Witch Head has been the APOD before!
The Witch Head Nebula looks quite red in José Mtanous' picture (possibly because José Mtanous may have used used a red hydrogen alpha filter to enhance the red background of the Witch Head Nebula). And indeed, for a blue reflection nebula, the Witch Head Nebula is actually quite non-blue. Below is one of my favorite Witch Head images:
The Witch Head Nebula. Author unknown.
You can see how much bluer bright star Rigel is than the Witch Head Nebula. "She" looks scarily witch-like here, with the kind of dead gray skin that you might expect from an ominous fictitious being.
Ann
Re: APOD: IC 2118: The Witch Head Nebula (2023 Oct 04)
Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2023 4:04 pm
by bls0326
Ann: Thanks for showing the previous APOD with Rigel in the picture. Also thanks for Witch Head Nebula labels. Seems to me that the more detailed pictures/information we have now makes it difficult to see the shapes folks saw in the past.
Re: APOD: IC 2118: The Witch Head Nebula (2023 Oct 04)
Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2023 4:09 pm
by orin stepanek
Is she a witch or a bitch? I can't tell which!
Can you tell that
Halloween is coming!
Re: APOD: IC 2118: The Witch Head Nebula (2023 Oct 04)
Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2023 8:59 pm
by johnnydeep
Yup, the witch is looking directly at Rigel alright!
Re: APOD: IC 2118: The Witch Head Nebula (2023 Oct 04)
Posted: Fri Oct 06, 2023 4:31 am
by Astronymus
Yeah, who doesn't remember the Battle of Witchhead?
Re: APOD: IC 2118: The Witch Head Nebula (2023 Oct 04)
Posted: Fri Oct 06, 2023 1:21 pm
by johnnydeep
Astronymus wrote: ↑Fri Oct 06, 2023 4:31 am
Yeah, who doesn't remember the Battle of Witchhead?
Nice. I didn't know the reference -
https://en.androwiki.org/Battle_of_Witchhead
Battle of Witchhead
The Battle of Witchhead Nebula was the final action of the Nietzschean Rebellion, or Tactical Offensive, depending on who you talk to. Despite its important place in history the exact events are subject to debate and speculation, mainly because when the battle was finished, few who had seen it remained to tell the story. It was not until the Andromeda Ascendant was transported to the Battle from 300 years in the future that the true nature of it was revealed.
In CY-9786 the few remaining High Guard Ships, roughly 100, assembled in the Nebula under orders from Admiral Constanza Stark, from there they were to launch a daring attack on the Nietzschean Homeworld, Fountainhead. The Nietzscheans somehow learned of this plan and assembled their own fleet, numbering 500 by most historical accounts but which was actually made up of 1,500 ships. This was known to some however many considered it a myth.
Re: APOD: IC 2118: The Witch Head Nebula (2023 Oct 04)
Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2023 9:54 pm
by starsurfer
Does IC 2118 have ERE?
Re: APOD: IC 2118: The Witch Head Nebula (2023 Oct 04)
Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2023 11:13 pm
by johnnydeep
