The Flaming Star Nebula: IC 405 & IC 410 | Kitt Peak National Observatory
IC 405 is the red/blue nebula to the left of center. It is being illuminated by the energetic star AE Aurigae (embedded in the nebula). However AE Aurigae's story is inextricably linked to another star called Mu Columbae. Around 2.7 million years ago these two stars formed and had a close encounter with one another in the Great Orion Nebula. The encounter was so close (another star was certainly involved) that each of them was ejected from the Orion complex never to return again. Currently these stars are 66 degrees away from one another in the sky. Astronomer's discovered these two runaway stars by measuring their apparent (fast) motion and noting that if you work backwards in time—the origin is in the same place at the same time! However, AE Auriga is certainly the more glamorous of the two stars, since it just happens to be moving through a region of gas that makes it look like a "Flaming Star."
The Flaming Star Nebula (also known as IC 405, SH 2-229, or Caldwell 31) is an emission and reflection nebula in the constellation Auriga north of the celestial equator, surrounding the bluish, irregular variable star AE Aurigae. The nebula is about 5 light-years across.
This image was taken as part of Advanced Observing Program (AOP) program during 2014 at Kitt Peak Visitor Center.
Release Date: June 6, 2014
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