The Dark River to Antares
Credit & Copyright: Jason Jennings
Posted on 07/08/2009 10:07:40 AM PDT by sig226
Explanation: Connecting the Pipe Nebula to the colorful regon near bright star Antares is a dark cloud dubbed the Dark River, flowing from the picture's left edge. Murky looking, the Dark River's appearance is caused by dust obscuring background starlight, although the dark nebula contains mostly hydrogen and molecular gas. Surrounded by dust, Antares, a red supergiant star, creates an unusual bright yellowish reflection nebula. Above it, bright blue double star Rho Ophiuchi is embedded in one of the more typical bluish reflection nebulae, while red emission nebulae are also scattered around the region. Globular star cluster M4 is just seen above and right of Antares, though it lies far behind the colorful clouds, at a distance of some 7,000 light-years. The Dark River itself is about 500 light years away. The colorful skyscape is a mosaic of telescopic images spanning nearly 10 degrees (20 Full Moons) across the sky in the constellation Scorpius.
I don’t know how to post it on FR astronomy thread but action occurring closer to home is in August when Mars will be closest to Earth. Next time Mars will come close is 2287. According astronomers can only be certain that Mars hasn’t come this close to Earth i the last 5,000 years but it may be as long as 60,000 years before it happens again. It will culiminate with on August 27 when Mars will be 34,649,589 miles from Earth.
You’ve been mislead.
The nearest approach of Mars in quite some time was on 27 Aug 2003.
Not this year.
Thank you. After I read your message, I checked on it with snopes.com. You’re absolutely correct. Thanks again.
I was planning to take a look at Mars on that day.
A duststorm said otherwise.
It was pretty darned close the next day, though.
The stars, like dust...
A novel I enjoyed but most critics didn't.
Of course I liked most of what Issac Asimov wrote including his science explanatory books. They gave me a leg up on most of the kids in my high school chemistry and physics classes.
*sigh* I miss him still.
Asimov’s work was delightful to me. I was one of the very few girls in high school and college who built model cars, and read Mad Magazine, Creepy Comics, Amazing Stories, and science fact and fiction. Then I found out he was an old lecher and lost respect for the man but still enjoyed the work.
Oh MAN! Hubby told me about that. It’s just a Snopes, huh. Drat.
Drat ! Beat me to it.
I grew up without a TV in the house in the ‘60s and ‘70s (age 5 to 18). SciFi was where I lived while other kids were watching TV. The only show I ever cared about was Star Trek. Once I found out about it I’d sneak over to my friend’s house when I could to watch it. If my father had found out I would have been in Big Trouble.
I didn’t know The Good Doctor was a lecherous old bistro.
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