I, for one, would like to welcome our new Mozilla Firefox overload directly from deep space 😉

V838 Monocerotis (V838 Mon) is a variable star in the constellation Monoceros about 20,000 light years from the Sun. The star experienced a major outburst in early 2002. Originally believed to be a typical nova eruption, it was then realized to be something completely different. The reason for the outburst is still uncertain, but several theories have been put forward, including an eruption related to stellar death processes and a merger of a binary star or planets.

On January 10, 2002, a previously unknown star was seen to brighten up in Monoceros, the Unicorn. Being a new variable star, it was designated V838 Monocerotis, the 838th variable star of Monoceros.

(Fig. 01: Monocerotis as Firefox logo (Image credit NASA and Wired blog)

=> Firefox Logo Spied In Deep Space (via digg)