The Case of the Vanishing Nebula

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The Case of the Vanishing Nebula

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Now you see it, now you don't. McNeil's Nebula in Orion has disappeared, thanks to a drastic reduction in brightness from the protostar that usually provides illumination. 

There’s an intriguing class of objects out there known as variable nebulae, the most famous of which is probably Hubble’s Variable Nebula. They’re primarily reflection nebulae illuminated by variable stars, with variations in brightness occurring on timescales as short as weeks or months.

  Read More: Sky and Telescope