Posted on 01/10/2023 12:04:18 PM PST by MtnClimber
Explanation: Stars are forming in the gigantic dust pillar called the Cone Nebula. Cones, pillars, and majestic flowing shapes abound in stellar nurseries where clouds of gas and dust are sculpted by energetic winds from newborn stars. The Cone Nebula, a well-known example, lies within the bright galactic star-forming region NGC 2264. The featured image of the Cone was captured recently combining 24-hours of exposure with a half-meter telescope at the El Sauce Observatory in Chile. Located about 2,500 light-years away toward the constellation of the Unicorn (Monoceros), the Cone Nebula's conical pillar extends about 7 light-years. The massive star NGC 2264 IRS, is the likely source of the wind sculpting the Cone Nebula and lies off the top of the image. The Cone Nebula's reddish veil is produced by glowing hydrogen gas.
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.
Seven light years tall. That’s almost twice the distance between Sol and the nearest star to us. And this is just one such structure among many. The scale is mind-boggling.
Dementor, dementor!
To put it in perspective, it’s nearly 30 trillion miles tall.
We’re from Fraaaaaaance. :-)
Beautiful and amazing.
That was supposed to be called “The Funnel” nebula but they got the picture upside down.
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