I don’t think it will overly tax your imagination to see why NGC 6357 is nicknamed the Lobster Nebula. Or perhaps you think it resemblances a crab more?
As an alternative to the Lobster, some astronomers see a skull and a dove, leading to the nebula’s other nickname: the War and Peace Nebula. (Personally, I have trouble seeing this one – do you?)
NGC 6357 (164 min total exposure Aug 24+25+26, 2024)
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Lobsters or crabs aside, here are some other tidbits about NGC 6357:
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The nebula is somewhere between 5,500 and 8,000 light-years away from us and spans an immense 400 light-years across -— truly cosmic in scale.
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For perspective, if the Lobster Nebula were visible to the naked eye, it would appear about two-thirds the size of the full moon in the sky. However, its extremely faint glow requires long-exposure imaging to reveal its true beauty.
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The nebula is a vast cloud of gas and dust, a stellar nursery where new stars are born. One of the most massive stars known is found at the very heart of the Lobster. It is one of many in the region, and their intense ultraviolet radiation ionizes the hydrogen, causing it to emit the iconic reddish glow we see in the image.
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The massive stars within NGC 6357 are crucial to the lifecycle of the universe. These stars live fast and die young, ending their lives in supernova explosions that spread heavy elements like carbon and oxygen -— ingredients essential for life.
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Interestingly enough, nearby in the sky is similar stellar wonder, the Cat’s Paw Nebula, which I shared my image of last month. You can click here to revisit that post. Both of these nebulae are parts of the same star-forming complex – the energy from hot young stars is shaping and sculpting the gas and dust in intricate, colorful patterns.