Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Stars and Gas of the Running Chicken Nebula

NASA ^ | Tuesday, May 31, 2016 | (see photo credit)

[SunkenCiv]

Explanation: To some, it looks like a giant chicken running across the sky. To others, it looks like a gaseous nebula where star formation takes place. Cataloged as IC 2944, the Running Chicken Nebula spans about 100 light years and lies about 6,000 light years away toward the constellation of the Centaur (Centaurus). The featured image, shown in scientifically assigned colors, was captured recently in an 11-hour exposure from a backyard near Melbourne, Australia. Two star clusters are visible: the Pearl Cluster seen on the far left, and Collinder 249 embedded in the nebula's glowing gas. Although difficult to discern here, several dark molecular clouds with distinct shapes can be found inside the nebula.

[SunkenCiv]

[Credit and Copyright: Andrew Campbell]

[SunkenCiv]

I'd love to have one seven day period where I actually post APoD once a day. Caught up for now.

The Big One

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[Red Badger]

Running Chicken? Is it a Indian, er, Native American nebula?.........................

[Red Badger]

You sure it isn't the CRAB Nebula?.....................

[MUDDOG]

Roaring Chicken

[rlmorel]

It is no wonder running chickens have nebulas named after them...

Running Chickens are Badass!

[RedWing9]

I kinda see an angry blue smurf...