M78 and Reflecting DustClouds in Orion
Credit & Copyright: Ignacio de la Cueva Torregrosa
Clicking on the picture will download the highest resolution version available.
Explanation: An eerie blue glow and ominous columns of dark dust
highlight M78 and other bright reflection nebula in the constellation
of Orion. The dark filamentary dust not only absorbs light, but also
reflects the light of several bright blue stars that formed recently in
the nebula. Of the two reflection nebulas pictured above, the more
famous nebula is M78, in the image center, while NGC 2071 can be seen
to its lower left. The same type of scattering that colors the daytime
sky further enhances the blue color. M78 is about five light-years
across and visible through a small telescope. M78 appears above only as
it was 1600 years ago, however, because that is how long it takes light
to go from there to here. M78 belongs to the larger Orion Molecular
Cloud Complex that contains the Great Nebula in Orion and the Horsehead
Nebula."
Astronomy Picture of the Day, NASA (Archive, 2010 March 2)
Sem comentários:
Enviar um comentário