Monday Bites: Clown & Cleopatra
Monday Bites: Clown & Cleopatra Eskimo/Clown-faced Nebula Credit: Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons. NGC 2392, a planetary nebula in the Northern constellation of Gemini, has many names. Squinting at their telescope's eyepiece, to some, the outer shell of expanding gas, ionized and propelled to breakneck speeds under the influence of a dying star at its center, decked with filaments of expulsed stellar material, gives the appearance of someone wearing a parka. Hence the name Eskimo Nebula. To others, the parka hood reflects a lion's mane. And there are those who see a clown. However, the IAU notes that the names are derogatory, and instead, its catalog number, NGC 2392, should be used. All controversy apart, NGC 2392, in the constellation of Gemini, is undeniably a spectacle of the Northern winter nights. There's considerable uncertainty regarding its distance from Earth, as estimates vary from around 2,500 to 6,500 light-years. Hubble's photograph (taken in 20
