BellaOnline Forums Education Astronomy Cosmic Father's Day

Soccer is a major sport in most of the world - it's even catching on in the USA, so why not in deep space? This looks like a cosmic soccer ball. It's Kronberger 61. a planetary nebula in the constellation Cygnus. The shell of ionized gas was expelled as the dying star threw off its outer layers of gas.

What about mountain climbing? Earth mountains are puny. Maybe Dad would like to have a go at Olympus Mons on Mars? Here is a comparison between Olympus Mons and Earth's biggest mountains, Mt Everest and Mauna Kea in Hawaii. Mauna Kea is higher than Everest, if measured from its base, but much of it is underwater.

So many dads have been given ties for Father's Day that there are cartoons about Father's Day ties. This one is by Randall McIlwaine.

The Galaxy is ready for this: the Bow Tie Nebula (PGC 3074547) is about 5000 light years away in the constellation Centaurus (the Centaur). It's a young planetary nebula and one of the coldest natural objects ever found.

Credit: NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope