Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Nebula!!

Credit: Russell Croman Astrophotography

Explanation: When stars form, pandemonium reigns. A textbook case is the star forming region NGC 2170. Visible above are red glowing emission nebulas of hydrogen, blue reflection nebulas of dust, dark absorption nebulas of dust, and the stars that formed from them. The first massive stars formed from the dense gas will emit energetic light and winds that erode, fragment, and sculpt their birthplace. And then they explode. The resulting morass is often as beautiful as it is complex. After tens of millions of years, the dust boils away, the gas gets swept away, and all that is left is a naked open cluster of stars.

Gorgeous. Hat tip to Plum P.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ne-bu-laaaaa,
Ne-bu-lae,
Ne-bu-laaaa,
Ne-bu-la-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha...
(Everybody Sing!)

Anonymous said...

I have never seen this one in the backyard 'scope. I understand its about 10° east of the Great Nebula in Orion. I also understand that it is quite dim. I saw this shot on APOD. The guy that took it is a scientologist from Austin.

Backyard Astronomer

four legs good said...

The guy that took it is a scientologist from Austin.

Seriously?

Anonymous said...

"Seriously?"

Here is a bit from the guys site: "No description of my life would be complete without at least a mention of the real guiding force in it, which is my chosen faith, Scientology. I have been a Scientologist since 1994, shortly after I moved to Austin." The address is: http://www.rc-astro.com/about.html

Backyard Astronomer

four legs good said...

Good grief. I guess he's looking for the thetan's home planet through his telescope.