PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Hubble watches super star create holiday light show

2013-12-18
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Rob Gutro
Robert.j.gutro@nasa.gov
301-286-4044
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Hubble watches super star create holiday light show

This festive NASA Hubble Space Telescope image resembles a holiday wreath made of sparkling lights. The bright southern hemisphere star RS Puppis, at the center of the image, is swaddled in a gossamer cocoon of reflective dust illuminated by the glittering star. The super star is ten times more massive than our sun and 200 times larger.

RS Puppis rhythmically brightens and dims over a six-week cycle. It is one of the most luminous in the class of so-called Cepheid variable stars. Its average intrinsic brightness is 15,000 times greater than our sun's luminosity.

The nebula flickers in brightness as pulses of light from the Cepheid propagate outwards. Hubble took a series of photos of light flashes rippling across the nebula in a phenomenon known as a "light echo." Even though light travels through space fast enough to span the gap between Earth and the moon in a little over a second, the nebula is so large that reflected light can actually be photographed traversing the nebula.

By observing the fluctuation of light in RS Puppis itself, as well as recording the faint reflections of light pulses moving across the nebula, astronomers are able to measure these light echoes and pin down a very accurate distance. The distance to RS Puppis has been narrowed down to 6,500 light-years (with a margin of error of only one percent).



INFORMATION:

The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between NASA and the European Space Agency. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., manages the telescope. The Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, Md., conducts Hubble science operations. STScI is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., in Washington, D.C.



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

World Health Organization study: Atrial fibrillation is a growing global health concern

2013-12-18
World Health Organization study: Atrial fibrillation is a growing global health concern LOS ANGELES (Dec. 17, 2013) – Atrial fibrillation, long considered the most common condition leading to an irregular heartbeat, is a growing and serious global health ...

Study: Moderate alcohol consumption boosts body's immune system

2013-12-18
Study: Moderate alcohol consumption boosts body's immune system PORTLAND, Ore. — Medical science has known for years that people who drink moderate amounts of alcohol actually have a reduced risk of death. In general, they are healthier and have better cardiovascular ...

Muscle-invasive and non-muscle invasive bladder cancers arise from different stem cells

2013-12-18
Muscle-invasive and non-muscle invasive bladder cancers arise from different stem cells 'Knowing the risk can help doctors and patients make informed treatment decisions,' researcher says Bladder cancer will kill upward of 170,000 people worldwide this year, ...

New hypertension guidelines offer practical, clinical information for doctors and patients around the globe

2013-12-18
New hypertension guidelines offer practical, clinical information for doctors and patients around the globe Presented by the American Society of Hypertension Inc. and the International Society of Hypertension High blood pressure affects approximately ...

Spiders partial to a side order of pollen with their flies

2013-12-18
Spiders partial to a side order of pollen with their flies Spiders may not be the pure predators we generally believe, after a study found that some make up a quarter of their diet by eating pollen. Dr Dirk Sanders of the University of Exeter demonstrated ...

Marijuana consumption in Washington state is higher than previously estimated, study finds

2013-12-18
Marijuana consumption in Washington state is higher than previously estimated, study finds Marijuana consumption in Washington state is about twice as large as previously estimated, according to a new RAND Corporation study. Using federal data and information from a new survey ...

Residents of poorer nations find greater meaning in life

2013-12-18
Residents of poorer nations find greater meaning in life While residents of wealthy nations tend to have greater life satisfaction, new research shows that those living in poorer nations report having greater meaning in life. These ...

Algae to crude oil: Million-year natural process takes minutes in the lab

2013-12-18
Algae to crude oil: Million-year natural process takes minutes in the lab Process simplifies transformation of algae to oil, water and usable byproducts ...

Dust in homes with dogs may protect against allergies, asthma

2013-12-17
Dust in homes with dogs may protect against allergies, asthma NIH-funded study in mice shows beneficial effect of dust microbe WHAT: A new study suggests that exposure to dust from homes with dogs may alter the immune response ...

Oregano oil may help sunflower seeds keep longer

2013-12-17
Oregano oil may help sunflower seeds keep longer CHICAGO— Sunflower seeds and sunflower oils have been shown to decrease risk of cardiovascular disease as well as have potential beneficial effects on obesity, bone health, and blood pressure. However ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Exercise as an anti-ageing intervention to avoid detrimental impact of mental fatigue

UMass Amherst Nursing Professor Emerita honored as ‘Living Legend’

New guidelines aim to improve cystic fibrosis screening

Picky eaters by day, buffet by night: Butterfly, moth diets sync to plant aromas

Pennington Biomedical’s Dr. Leanne Redman honored with the E. V. McCollum Award from the American Society for Nutrition

CCNY physicists uncover electronic interactions mediated via spin waves

Researchers’ 3D-printing formula may transform future of foam

Nurture more important than nature for robotic hand

Drug-delivering aptamers target leukemia stem cells for one-two knockout punch

New study finds that over 95% of sponsored influencer posts on Twitter were not disclosed

New sea grant report helps great lakes fish farmers navigate aquaculture regulations

Strain “trick” improves perovskite solar cells’ efficiency

How GPS helps older drivers stay on the roads

Estrogen and progesterone stimulate the body to make opioids

Dancing with the cells – how acoustically levitating a diamond led to a breakthrough in biotech automation

Machine learning helps construct an evolutionary timeline of bacteria

Cellular regulator of mRNA vaccine revealed... offering new therapeutic options

Animal behavioral diversity at risk in the face of declining biodiversity

Finding their way: GPS ignites independence in older adult drivers

Antibiotic resistance among key bacterial species plateaus over time

‘Some insects are declining but what’s happening to the other 99%?’

Powerful new software platform could reshape biomedical research by making data analysis more accessible

Revealing capillaries and cells in living organs with ultrasound

American College of Physicians awards $260,000 in grants to address equity challenges in obesity care

Researchers from MARE ULisboa discover that the European catfish, an invasive species in Portugal, has a prolonged breeding season, enhancing its invasive potential

Rakesh K. Jain, PhD, FAACR, honored with the 2025 AACR Award for Lifetime Achievement in Cancer Research

Solar cells made of moon dust could power future space exploration

Deporting immigrants may further shrink the health care workforce

Border region emergency medical services in migrant emergency care

Resident physician intentions regarding unionization

[Press-News.org] Hubble watches super star create holiday light show