When was nebula first discovered

Hubble probes the intricate complexity of these environments, and it has unveiled stars and planetary systems in the making. The chemical makeup of stars, revealed through spectroscopy , depends on the material in which they originate.

In the early universe, stars were formed from matter that lacked most elements except for hydrogen and helium. The other chemical elements have been and still are being created in the interior of stars through nuclear fusion processes. That new material is eventually recycled into subsequent generations of stars and planets.

Most stars form in multiple star systems, though this formation process is not completely understood. The groupings of stars that form together can vary from a few stars to many hundreds or thousands.

The stars in each cluster have a variety of masses. The most massive stars are rare, while the least massive stars are the most numerous. Hubble has probed star clusters of all sizes and uses spectroscopy to determine the detailed chemistry in star cluster members. By taking precise observations of star cluster members, scientists using Hubble can determine their luminosities intrinsic brightnesses and temperatures. This helps refine our understanding of star formation, stellar evolution and the physics of the theoretical models used to explain these phenomena.

The most massive star clusters, containing tens and hundreds of thousands of stars, were mostly formed early on in the universe, about 13 billion years ago. These massive clusters, called globular clusters, persist today although the stars in them have evolved over time.

Cluster characteristics are tracers of the earliest times of cosmic star formation. Hubble observations have revealed subtle differences in globular clusters, their chemistry and, in some cases, evidence that these clusters actually have multiple generations of stars within them.

When their nuclear fuel is exhausted, the most massive stars explode in a spectacular fashion, called a supernova , leaving behind neutron stars, black holes or nothing at all. The last time astronomers observed a supernova in our galaxy was in the s. Some astronomers think planetary nebulae are very important in the evolution of galaxies.

When stars are born, they are mostly made up of hydrogen and helium, but over their life cycle, they start creating heavier elements, which get blown away by their stellar winds. Some of these elements are carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen, which are very important for the existence of life in the universe as we know it.

Right now, we know of about 3, planetary nebulae in our galaxy, the Milky Way , out of roughly billion stars. Most of them are near the center of our galaxy. They come in many shapes, but most are spherical, elliptical, or bipolar. The spherical ones are usually produced by older stars, like our sun. Reflection nebulae and emission nebulae sometimes show up in the same places, because emission nebulae are created when stars are close enough to the dust to start ionizing it and making it bright.

Reflection nebulae are usually blue because the dust reflects blue light better than other colors. This process of expelling the old star material creates a shock wave ahead of it that superheats anything it passes through.

The shockwave spends hundreds to thousands of years expanding and becomes very large. As the superheated material cools, it forms a shell around the supernova remnant. Astronomers think supernova remnants are a major source of cosmic rays in the universe. One of these particles is carbon. Scientists use the carbon isotope of carbon to help them figure out roughly when carbon-based lifeforms existed.

This is important in the study of fossils, the environment, and ancient people. A small dark nebulae is called a Bok globule, after astronomer Bart Bok, who observed them for the first time. The largest dark nebulae can easily be seen with the naked eye, looking like black or darkened patches in the Milky Way.

Since it is so complex, astronomers think it might have a binary double star system inside of it which are causing different forces to act on the materials that make it up. It is believed by many to be the result of a supernova SN that was recorded by Chinese most extensively , Arabic, and European astronomers, and possibly Native Americans and Aboriginal Australians. The Crab Nebula has a pulsar as its central star, which makes the surrounding nebula very bright. In good conditions, it can even be spotted with binoculars.

Since many scientists believe they can date the supernova that created the Crab Nebula, it has been heavily studied, especially in the field of pulsar study, which only began in the late s. Knowing the age of the supernova helps astronomers gather information about how supernova remnants form, as well as pulsar wind nebulae, and how they evolve. The Crab Nebula is roughly oval-shaped and looks like lots of intricately woven filaments—a little like a tangled spider web.

This nebula has been especially famous in pictures, due to a photo of a region called the Pillars of Creation that was taken by the Hubble Telescope. The Pillars are active star-forming regions. Dark areas in pictures of the pillars are believed to be Bok globules.

Science is cool! Though the center is currently closed, we are still passionate about science and space exploration. A nebula is an enormous cloud of dust and gas occupying the space between stars and acting as a nursery for new stars. They either form through clouds of cold interstellar gas and dust or through the aftermath of a supernova. For example, in the Carina Nebula, hot, young stars erode and sculpt the clouds into this fantasy landscape by sending out thick stellar winds and scorching ultraviolet radiation.

The low-density regions of the nebula are shredded while the denser parts resist erosion and remain as thick pillars. In the dark, cold interiors of these columns new stars continue to form. Part of the material is ejected along jets perpendicular to the accretion disk. The jets have speeds of several hundreds of miles per second.

As these jets plow into the surround nebula, they create small, glowing patches of nebulosity, called Herbig-Haro HH objects. As with most things in the heavens, many people can claim the title of the discoverer of nebulae.

The first detailed observations, though, waited for famous scientist Christiaan Huygens in When the star has lost enough material, its temperature increases and the UV radiation it emits ionizes the surrounding material it has thrown off. During the Asymptotic Giant Branch AGB phase, the star undergoes mass loss, emitting a circumstellar shell of hydrogen gas. When this phase comes to an end, the star enters the PPN phase, where it is energized by a central star, causing it to emit strong infrared radiation and become a reflection nebula.

The PPN phase continues until the central star reaches a temperature of 30, K, after which it is hot enough to ionize the surrounding gas. Many nebulous objects were noticed in the night sky by astronomers during Classical Antiquity and the Middle Ages. The first recorded observation took place in CE, when Ptolemy noted the presence of five stars in Almagast that appeared nebulous in his book.

He also noted a region of luminosity between the constellations Ursa Major and Leo that was not associated with any observable star. On July 4th, , the supernova that created the Crab Nebula SN , was visible to astronomers on Earth, and recorded observations that were made by both Arabic and Chinese astronomers have been identified. While anecdotal evidence exists that other civilizations viewed the supernova, no records have been uncovered.

By the 17th century, improvements in telescopes led to the first confirmed observations of nebulae. In , Swiss astronomer Johann Baptist Cysat also observed the nebula; and by , Christiaan Huygens made the first detailed study of it. By the 18th century, the number of observed nebulae began to increase and astronomers began to compile lists. In , French astronomer Jean-Philippe de Cheseaux compiled a list of 20 nebulae, included eight that were not previously known.

Between and 53, Nicolas Louis de Lacaille cataloged 42 nebulae from the Cape of Good Hope, most of which were previously unknown. The number of observed and cataloged nebulae greatly expanded thanks to the efforts of William Herschel and his sister, Caroline.

In , the two published their Catalogue of One Thousand New Nebulae and Clusters of Stars , which was followed up in and by a second and third catalog.