The smallest nebula!? Amazing!

Mr E

M
I was in the middle of my journey to Sagittarius A* using the Neutron highway route and out of nowhere, I ran into this very small Nebula that was in a neutron star system that I went to as part of my neutron highway route. When I arrived, I was amazed to see how wonderful it looked! Screenshots below! Unfortunately, I was not the first person to discover it haha.

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Sapyx

Sapyx
Some of these are procedurally-generated (like the one in the OP). Some are hand-crafted (like the Ghost of Jupiter Nebula). They come in different colours and patterns; this deep-blue hourglass variety is fairly common. Another is the "cat's eye", all red-and-yellow or red-and-green streaks, like this procedurally-generated one I spotted, Cyoidai GH-U e3-3, not far from the Crab Nebula:

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They are all small, and almost always have a single star system as central object: usually a black hole, neutron star or unstable late-stage star like a Wolf-Rayet.
 

marx

marx
Plus it's always good to find one untagged, because there are hundreds of them already scanned, and we have no idea how long the stocks will last. So, congrats on your find, Commander!
 

Orvidius

Orvidius
BTW, Most of the time these are supernova remnants, hence the neutron star or black hole at the center. These are left over from when a large massive star explodes. For those who aren't familiar with Planetary Nebulae, this is a fun factoid that I think enhances the awe and wonder. :)
 

osser

osser
+ rep to you.
As others have said it is a planetary nebula.
But well done with the pics!!!
I'm fairly sure you could spend a lifetime (yes) finding these and sharing
but thanks for it.

fly safe and go deep.

CMDR Tootiny
 

HailVectron

HailVectron
From my astronomy reading, I think I remember that they were called that because they looked like planets in olden-days telescopes, rather than point sources like stars. Nothing to do with the processes involved. Probably should have googled before I posted this, in case I'm wrong!
 

SMcA

SMcA
Qohen Leth said:
It simply is a planetary nebula, and there are hundreds of them in the galaxy.
Click to expand...

I like the ones that look like a honeycomb from the inside.

You can see a few of them on the G-Map if you filter out all the stars. They are grey dots that run away when you rotate the map.

OP. Nice one. :)
 

Jaiotu

Jaiotu
Qohen Leth said:
It simply is a planetary nebula, and there are hundreds of them in the galaxy.
Click to expand...

Technically it isn't a planetary nebula. Although they tend to look the same this is actually a Supernova Remnant. You'll typically find a planetary nebula around a Wolf-Rayet or older Red Giants while an SNR will have a Neutron Star, White Dwarf or Black Hole at it's center. In the case of a PNe the material is ejected over a vast amount of time toward the end of the star's lifespan while the material surrounding an SNR is part of the expanding shock wave resulting from the sudden collapse and resulting explosion of the star.
 
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Qohen Leth

Qohen Leth
Jaiotu said:
Technically it isn't a planetary nebula. Although they tend to look the same this is actually a Supernova Remnant. You'll typically find a planetary nebula around a Wolf-Rayet or older Red Giants while an SNR will have a Neutron Star, White Dwarf or Black Hole at it's center. In the case of a PNe the material is ejected over a vast amount of time toward the end of the star's lifespan while the material surrounding an SNR is part of the expanding shock wave resulting from the sudden collapse and resulting explosion of the star.
Click to expand...

True. Shortcut on my part...
 

Jaiotu

Jaiotu
Qohen Leth said:
True. Shortcut on my part...
Click to expand...

I typically use the same shortcut mentally when I see one on the galaxy map. Didn't know what a planetary nebula was until I found one in Elite: Dangerous ... and didn't know the difference between a PNe and an SNR until I went looking for Cassiopeia A. Getting a proper education playing this game, I am.
 

Orvidius

Orvidius
HailVectron said:
From my astronomy reading, I think I remember that they were called that because they looked like planets in olden-days telescopes, rather than point sources like stars. Nothing to do with the processes involved. Probably should have googled before I posted this, in case I'm wrong!
Click to expand...

I think you're correct, if I recall correctly. :)
 

Orvidius

Orvidius
Jaiotu said:
Technically it isn't a planetary nebula. Although they tend to look the same this is actually a Supernova Remnant. You'll typically find a planetary nebula around a Wolf-Rayet or older Red Giants while an SNR will have a Neutron Star, White Dwarf or Black Hole at it's center. In the case of a PNe the material is ejected over a vast amount of time toward the end of the star's lifespan while the material surrounding an SNR is part of the expanding shock wave resulting from the sudden collapse and resulting explosion of the star.
Click to expand...

Good point. Many of us (incorrectly) lump them all together as Planetary Nebulae. Though if I remember correctly, you don't usually get white dwarfs from supernova remnants. Generally the white dwarfs are left over from dying medium mass stars, after they have passed through the red giant phase and shed their outer layers to make the planetary nebula. So that might be one way to tell the nebulae/remnants apart. I may not have this all exactly right though.
 
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