Hum Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 A watery-looking nebula in deep space is being renamed after the sea creature it strongly resembles: a manatee. The nebula is the leftovers from a star that died in a supernova explosion about 20,000 years ago. Before it died, the giant star puffed out its outer gaseous layers, which now swirl in green-and-blue clouds around the dead hulk of the star, which has collapsed into a black hole. Known officially as W50, the celestial object is being dubbed the Manatee Nebula by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), during a ceremony today (Jan. 19) at the Florida Manatee Festival in Crystal River, Fla. The NRAO will also unveil a new photo of the nebula taken by the Very Large Array (VLA) radio telescope network in New Mexico. "When the VLA's giant W50 image reached the NRAO director's office, Heidi Winter, the director's executive assistant, saw the likeness to a manatee, the endangered marine mammals known as 'sea cows' that congregate in warm waters in the southeastern United States," NRAO officials wrote in a statement." At Winter's suggestion, NRAO decided to collaborate with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to confer the new nickname on the nebula. more Crisp and remixedcat 2 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArialBlue Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 I would name it poo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Growled Member Posted January 21, 2013 Member Share Posted January 21, 2013 It does look like a manatee. Space is just so amazing. remixedcat 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
remixedcat Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 oh the huMANATEE!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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