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Astronomy Picture of the Day
NASA ^
| 2/21/08
| Victor Bertol
Posted on 02/21/2008 2:12:16 PM PST by sig226

Orion's Horsehead Nebula
Credit & Copyright: Victor Bertol
Explanation: The Horsehead Nebula is one of the most famous nebulae on the sky. It is visible as the dark indentation to the red emission nebula seen just below and left of center in the this photograph. The brightest star on the left is located in the belt of the familiar constellation Orion. The horse-head feature is dark because it is really an opaque dust cloud that lies in front of the bright red emission nebula. Like clouds in Earth's atmosphere, this cosmic cloud has assumed a recognizable shape by chance. After many thousands of years, the internal motions of the cloud will alter its appearance. The emission nebula's red color is caused by electrons recombining with protons to form hydrogen atoms. Also visible in the picture are blue reflection nebulae that preferentially reflect the blue light from nearby stars.
TOPICS: Astronomy Picture of the Day
KEYWORDS: apod; horseheadnebula
1
posted on
02/21/2008 2:12:16 PM PST
by
sig226
To: fnord; Number57; KevinDavis; rdb3; MNJohnnie; thoughtomator; RightWhale; proudofthesouth; ...
2
posted on
02/21/2008 2:12:56 PM PST
by
sig226
(If we took the bones out it wouldn't be crunchy.)
To: sig226
This is a very difficult object for small telescopes such as amateurs would have.
3
posted on
02/21/2008 2:18:07 PM PST
by
RightWhale
(Clam down! avoid ataque de nervosa)
To: RightWhale
IC 434 is about 1,500 light-years from the earth.
To: RightWhale
Eh, ya just gotta stand closer to it.
5
posted on
02/21/2008 2:32:24 PM PST
by
cripplecreek
(Just call me M.O.M. (Maverick Opposed to McCain.))
To: sig226
Nice. Do you have a one-stop link for all of the Astronomy Photos of The Day?
6
posted on
02/21/2008 2:52:29 PM PST
by
BlueStateBlues
(Blue State for business, Red State at heart..)
To: BlueStateBlues
7
posted on
02/21/2008 5:05:17 PM PST
by
WSGilcrest
(I'm beginning to realize I don't realize what I'm saying.)
To: BlueStateBlues
8
posted on
02/21/2008 5:07:40 PM PST
by
WSGilcrest
(I'm beginning to realize I don't realize what I'm saying.)
To: BlueStateBlues
9
posted on
02/21/2008 6:28:34 PM PST
by
sig226
(If we took the bones out it wouldn't be crunchy.)
To: WSGilcrest
Keyword search apod and they’re all indexed.
10
posted on
02/21/2008 7:19:23 PM PST
by
sig226
(If we took the bones out it wouldn't be crunchy.)
To: sig226
11
posted on
02/22/2008 6:18:48 AM PST
by
hattend
(We're running out of topsoil so "POOP IT UP!" - Rush Limbaugh, 23 Jan 2008)
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