16 Jan 2026
"WR 16 (HD 86161) is a Wolf-Rayet star located in the constellation Carina. It is a massive, luminous, and evolved star in a late stage of evolution, surrounded by a complex nebula formed by its strong stellar winds and past mass ejections.
Motion measurements from the Gaia satellite show that WR 16 moves at about 61 km/s relative to its local interstellar medium, qualifying it as a runaway star. This rapid motion influences the shape of its surrounding nebula.
Due to its high velocity, WR 16 creates a bow shock—a curved front where its stellar wind collides with the interstellar medium, compressing gas and dust. Radio and infrared imaging confirms the bow shock’s presence."(Wikipedia)
WR 16
8 credit
Filter | Avg Exp (s) | Total Exposure | Subframes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue | 300 | 3h | 36 |
| Green | 300 | 3h | 36 |
| Red | 300 | 3h | 36 |
| Halpha | 300 | 3h | 36 |