Astronomy Picture of the Day ·

Wolf-Rayet Star 124: Stellar Wind Machine

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for February 3, 2025 is “Wolf-Rayet Star 124: Stellar Wind Machine,” an image. It is credited to Image Credit: Hubble Legacy Archive , NASA , ESA ; Processing & License: Judy Schmidt. The original explanation runs about 146 words.

A starfield is shown with a large spherical nebula in the center. The nebula shows a great deal of internal structure. Please see the explanation for more detailed information.
Credit: Image Credit: Hubble Legacy Archive , NASA , ESA ; Processing & License: Judy Schmidt Shown from science.nasa.gov. Not hosted by OpenOrbit.

From the explanation

“Some stars explode in slow motion. Rare, massive Wolf-Rayet stars are so tumultuous and hot that they are slowly disintegrating right before our telescopes.”

— APOD editors, February 3, 2025

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date
February 3, 2025
Type
Image
Credit
Credit: Image Credit: Hubble Legacy Archive , NASA , ESA ; Processing & License: Judy Schmidt
Copyright
No copyright notice on the entry. Check the credited institution’s own usage rules before reusing it.
Explanation length
About 146 words

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Source

Copy taken Oct 28, 2026, 2:39 AM EDT. The image and explanation belong to their creators. OpenOrbit is not affiliated with or endorsed by NASA.