Great Balls of Fire! Hubble Sees Bright Knots Ejected from Brilliant Star
Resembling an aerial fireworks explosion, this dramatic NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope picture of the energetic star WR124 reveals it is surrounded by hot clumps of gas being ejected into space at speeds of over 100, 000 miles per hour (approx. 45 kilometres per second).
Credit:About the Image
About the Object
| Name: | Merril's Star, WR 124 |
|---|---|
| Type: | Milky Way : Star : Type : Wolf-Rayet Milky Way : Nebula |
| Distance: | 10000 light years |
| Constellation: | Sagitta |
| Category: | Stars |
Coordinates
| Position (RA): | 19 11 31.13 |
|---|---|
| Position (Dec): | 16° 51' 36.68" |
| Field of view: | 2.03 x 2.13 arcminutes |
| Orientation: | North is 227.9° right of vertical |
Colours & filters
| Band | Telescope |
|---|---|
| Optical |
Hubble Space Telescope
WFPC2 |

