Posted on 01/24/2022 3:33:14 PM PST by MtnClimber
Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.
Explanation: By starlight this eerie visage shines in the dark, a crooked profile evoking its popular name, the Witch Head Nebula. In fact, this entrancing telescopic portrait gives the impression that the witch has fixed her gaze on Orion's bright supergiant star Rigel. More formally known as IC 2118, the Witch Head Nebula spans about 50 light-years and is composed of interstellar dust grains reflecting Rigel's starlight. The blue color of the Witch Head Nebula and of the dust surrounding Rigel is caused not only by Rigel's intense blue starlight but because the dust grains scatter blue light more efficiently than red. The same physical process causes Earth's daytime sky to appear blue, although the scatterers in Earth's atmosphere are molecules of nitrogen and oxygen. Rigel, the Witch Head Nebula, and gas and dust that surrounds them lie about 800 light-years away.
For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then move the magnifying glass cursor then click to zoom in and click again to zoom out. When zoomed in you can scan by moving the side bars on the bottom and right side of the image.
It looks like Pumpkinhead! (Saw that movie on Comet TV the other day.)
crazy lookin’
How did Pelosi get up there?
I was just about to say the same!
Anybody got a GIANT bucket of water?
Water!!! Where is the WATER!!!
Pumpkinhead - Love that movie! I see pumpkinhead eating a unicorn?
“Pumpkinhead”
Was that a movie with that diCaprio dork in it?
Is every shiny dot a star?
No, thank God. Lance Henriksen was the lead. He also played Bishop, the android, in Aliens.
A long, secret tunnel full of cobwebs.
Looking for a kitty or pup.
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