Astronomy Picture of the Day -- At the Edge of NGC 2174

NASA ^ | April 03, 2014 | (see photo credit)

[SunkenCiv]

Explanation: This fantastic skyscape lies near the edge of NGC 2174 a star forming region about 6,400 light-years away in the nebula-rich constellation of Orion. It follows mountainous clouds of gas and dust carved by winds and radiation from the region's newborn stars, now found scattered in open star clusters embedded around the center of NGC 2174, off the top of the frame. Though star formation continues within these dusty cosmic clouds they will likely be dispersed by the energetic newborn stars within a few million years. Recorded at infrared wavelengths by the Hubble Space Telescope, the interstellar scene spans about 6 light-years. The image celebrates the upcoming 24th anniversary of Hubble's launch onboard the space shuttle orbiter Discovery on April 24, 1990.

[SunkenCiv]

[Credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)]

[SunkenCiv]

Back to "oooh, aahhh", but also I think this is a reprise from a few years back.

The Big One

join or quit list APoD 'blog post new APoD topic Astronomy Picture of the Day topic & keyword Astronomy Chat, Bloggers & keyword Science Chat, Bloggers & keyword NASA's APoD archive Calendar 1995-present APoD on your desktop

[SunkenCiv]

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap061208.html

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap110209.html

[moovova]

You can almost see ghostly figures in that one.

[Jet Jaguar]

I wonder if gravity is pulling the dust from the heads or the heads are moving outward while shedding the the dust?

[TigersEye]

...the interstellar scene spans about 6 light-years.

The whole thing is astounding. It is really hard to wrap the mind around just how big that formation is. The nearest star to us, Proxima Centauri, is only 4.3 light years away.

[USARightSide]

‘- - - ghostly figures in that one’

saw that immediately - with a King at the top

[sargon]

That is a freakin’ trip...

[TheOldLady]

Well, that’s a real Rorschach test.

Ghostly figures and a king at the top who looks like an aardvark in the expanded version on the APOD site.

Very interesting. Hermann Rorschach would have loved to analyze that.

[left that other site]

Breathtaking!

[Conan the Librarian]

There is a small Galaxy at the top of the picture.

That’s some real detail in there.