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Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Pelican Nebula Close-up
NASA ^ | November 26, 2011 | (see photo credit)

Posted on 11/25/2011 9:42:48 PM PST by SunkenCiv

Explanation: The prominent ridge of emission featured in this vivid skyscape is designated IC 5067. Part of a larger emission nebula with a distinctive shape, popularly called The Pelican Nebula, the ridge spans about 10 light-years and follows the curve of the cosmic pelican's head and neck. The Pelican Nebula close-up was constructed from narrowband data mapping emission from sulfur, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms to red, green, and blue colors. Fantastic, dark shapes inhabiting the view are clouds of cool gas and dust sculpted by energetic radiation from young, hot, massive stars. But stars are also forming within the dark shapes. In fact, twin jets emerging from the tip of the long, dark tendril below center are the telltale signs of an embedded protostar cataloged as Herbig-Haro 555. The Pelican Nebula itself, also known as IC 5070, is about 2,000 light-years away. To find it, look northeast of bright star Deneb in the high flying constellation Cygnus.

November 26, 2011

(Excerpt) Read more at 129.164.179.22 ...


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; astronomy; cygnus; deneb; ic5067; ic5070; pelicannebula; science
[Credit & Copyright: Martin Pugh]

1 posted on 11/25/2011 9:42:54 PM PST by SunkenCiv
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To: Fred Nerks; brytlea; cripplecreek; decimon; bigheadfred; KoRn; Grammy; married21; steelyourfaith; ..

wow, good one!

2 posted on 11/25/2011 9:44:19 PM PST by SunkenCiv (It's never a bad time to FReep this link -- https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: SunkenCiv

That would look nice in a frame.


3 posted on 11/25/2011 10:24:39 PM PST by budwiesest (It's that girl from Alaska, again.)
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To: budwiesest
I've noticed a bright star the past few months that I've wondered about. Tonight, I noticed that if you drew a line through the belt of Orion (going up) it almost intersects with Casiopia (Seven sisters- that a lot of people mistake as the Little Dipper).

Then, if you drew a straight line from there to the right (greater than 90 degrees) it points to a star (or planet) that is very bright (brighter than anything else at this time) and I've wondered what this is. This 'star' would be almost due South from me, in N. California but fairly high in the sky.

4 posted on 11/25/2011 11:21:57 PM PST by budwiesest (It's that girl from Alaska, again.)
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To: budwiesest

It would make a nice piece of abstract art - better then most stuff I see hanging in galleries. But then, the aritist is much better, no?


5 posted on 11/26/2011 3:39:52 AM PST by ixtl ( You live and learn. Or you don't live long.)
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To: budwiesest; SunkenCiv
That would look nice in a frame.

It would also make a nice background on the computer. Awesome photo!

6 posted on 11/26/2011 6:06:49 AM PST by NYer ("Be kind to every person you meet. For every person is fighting a great battle." St. Ephraim)
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To: budwiesest


7 posted on 11/26/2011 6:33:24 AM PST by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
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To: SunkenCiv

SO pretty.


8 posted on 11/26/2011 8:59:35 AM PST by DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis (Want to make $$$? It's easy! Pimp your blog for hits on Free Republic!)
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To: SunkenCiv

It is beautiful. I am afraid I do not see the pelican though. I see a cormorant and a tube worm poking up out of the nebula. Still beautiful. (I guess you need to live near a coast.)


9 posted on 11/26/2011 12:27:27 PM PST by Pete from Shawnee Mission
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To: JoeProBono

I know a lady who took a public domain picture of the pillars of creation and had it printed on mouse pads to distribute at a SciFi convention. There were left overs and she gave me one. One of one hundred, and I have one (he said with quiet pride.)


10 posted on 11/26/2011 12:34:26 PM PST by Pete from Shawnee Mission
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To: Pete from Shawnee Mission

11 posted on 11/26/2011 1:32:58 PM PST by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
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To: NYer
...My screen changes daily, thanks to this thread. Makes for a great carousel, unfortunately, a whole lot of memory.
12 posted on 11/26/2011 1:34:16 PM PST by gargoyle ( Extremism in the defense of Liberty is no vice... Barry Goldwater.)
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To: budwiesest; All

At a guess from your description, it’s Jupiter (a Planet).

Seven Sisters = Pleiades.

As for the Pelican, I was looking at that last night.

Had my 10in scope at a dark site with a 904 nebular filter.

I could see lumpiness, but, nothing like the photo.


13 posted on 11/26/2011 8:36:09 PM PST by Conan the Librarian (The Best in Life is to crush my enemies, see them driven before me, and the Dewey Decimal System)
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To: SunkenCiv; SWAMPSNIPER

SWAMPSNIPER take that pic?


14 posted on 11/26/2011 9:39:20 PM PST by WSGilcrest (/s)
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