V838 is a red supergiant variable star in the
constellation Monoceros. This star "pulsed" away its
outer layers in what can be described as a single
flash - a sudden outburst - that occurred in January
2002. The emission of the surrounding cloud comes
from the red supergiant star at the heart of this
phenomenon.While this can resemble a supernova
remnant or planetary nebula, it is actually neither
one. This object does not represent and end stage of
stellar evolution, but just one step toward.
Here is a progression of images demonstrating the
expanding shell of dust and gas:
April 30, 2002
May 20, 2002
September 2, 2002
October 28, 2002
December 17, 2002
March 4, 2004 Here is an overview:
The interesting shape is a matter of cloud formation
and light reflection in our line of sight:
Because the central star is a supergiant, just how
big is this object in relation to us? Take a look:
This is just the star and not the surrounding dust
and gas!
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