Pulsar Creates Cosmic "Hand" (Cool Pic!)

[LostInAnomie]

April 6, 2009--A new x-ray image has revealed an unusual hand-shaped nebula that brings a whole new meaning to the expression "reach for the stars."

NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory recently snapped this shot of energetic particles streaming from a pulsar—the rapidly rotating core left behind after a very massive star exploded as a supernova.

Known as B1509, the pulsar is thought to be about 1,700 years old and lies roughly 17,000 light-years from Earth.

The tiny pulsar is just 12 miles (19.3 kilometers) wide. But it is spinning so fast—it makes seven complete rotations every second—that the particles it spews have created a nebula spanning 150 light-years.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/04/090406-hand-pulsar-nebula-photo.html

[Aristus]

1. No doubt the fundies are going to go into raptures about the "Hand Of God".

Like they did about the "Eye Of God" nebula a few years ago...

[ZombieNixon]

2. Kind of looks like the Hand of God is about to gouge out the Eye of God.

God appears to have taken stereotypical Goth/Emo trends to a frightening extreme. :scared:

[MilesColtrane]

3. Who knew the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost were...

...Moe, Larry, and Curly?

Verily, he spake saying, "Nyuk."

[HopeHoops]

4. Didn't the Starship Enterprise run into one of those once?

I have a vague memory of it being held in space by a giant hand.

[baldguy]

7. Apollo was in a bad mood that day.

[HopeHoops]

8. Thanks for the picture, but you know something?

I just hate when that happens to MY starship!

[City of Mills]

5. Here's a later shot

HAND OF DOOM ATTACKS EARTH!

[Sky Masterson]

6. It looks like a hand getting ready to rip out a heart

The fundies are gonna love this.

[Dangerously Amused]

9. That is awesome! I love their pics.

It kind of looks like it had three fingers and two thumbs. Which come to think of it seems like a far more useful arrangement.

[MilesColtrane]

10. The Gonzo Fist has two thumbs.

Could be the cosmic spirit of the Doctor reaching for a star-sized peyote button.