Skip to comments.
Astronomy Picture of the Day - The Dark Wolf Nebula
NASA ^
| 20 May, 2026
| Image Credit & Copyright: William Vrbasso Text: Keighley Rockcliffe (NASA GSFC, UMBC CSST, CRESST II
Posted on 05/20/2026 12:55:07 PM PDT by MtnClimber
Explanation: A dark wolf lies in gum. No, this isn’t a riddle! Today's image features the Dark Wolf Nebula (Sandqvist–Lindroos 17), a spooky dust cloud embedded within the Gum 55 (RCW 113) Nebula in the Scorpius constellation. While dust is a pest to us, it serves a vital role in creating the necessary conditions for stars to be born. The Dark Wolf absorbs the intense ultraviolet and visible light emitted by young stars in Gum 55 and re-emits it at longer, mainly infrared, wavelengths. This prevents the higher energy light from heating up the gas in the region. When a region of gas is cool enough, gravity takes over and causes the gas to collapse into a star. Not only does dust act as an interstellar thermostat, but it is also the meet-cute for single hydrogen atoms forming molecular hydrogen, the building block for stars. The seemingly sinister Dark Wolf is actually a harbinger of cosmic life.
TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; nasa
To be added or removed from the Astronomy Picture of the Day ping list please send me a request via "Private Reply" (Mail). 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.
To: MtnClimber
2
posted on
05/20/2026 12:55:46 PM PDT
by
MtnClimber
(For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
To: MtnClimber
3
posted on
05/20/2026 12:55:50 PM PDT
by
Red Badger
(Iryna Zarutska, May 22, 2002 Kyiv, Ukraine – August 22, 2025 Charlotte, North Carolina Say her name)
To: 21stCenturion; 21twelve; 4everontheRight; A Navy Vet; A_perfect_lady; abb; AFB-XYZ; AFPhys; ...
Pinging the APOD list
🪐 🌟 🌌 🍔
4
posted on
05/20/2026 12:56:48 PM PDT
by
MtnClimber
(For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
To: MtnClimber
I hate nebula, they’re always so full of hot gas.
5
posted on
05/20/2026 1:34:30 PM PDT
by
Bullish
(My tagline ran off with another man, but it's okay... I wasn't married to it.)
To: MtnClimber
6
posted on
05/20/2026 1:49:22 PM PDT
by
BenLurkin
(The above is not a statement of fact. It is opinion or satire. Or both.)
To: MtnClimber
Brian Harold May’s PhD thesis is titled: A Survey of Radial Velocities in the Zodiacal Dust Cloud.
7
posted on
05/20/2026 2:20:24 PM PDT
by
kawhill
(Dywedwch Wrthbym because + Add translation Welsh-English dictionary 'Tell Us')
To: MtnClimber
More clearly showing a star:
8
posted on
05/20/2026 2:26:16 PM PDT
by
null and void
(Trump isn't a pussycat, but he does have nine lives!)
To: MtnClimber
Gotta get my eyes checked. I read the title too fast, and thought it said “Duck Wolf Nebula”. 😁
Although, that dark thing in the middle does kinda resemble a black duck. Daffy, maybe? (The duck, not me)
9
posted on
05/20/2026 2:38:46 PM PDT
by
AFB-XYZ
(( We have two options: 1. Stand up, or 2. Bend over))
To: Bullish
always so full of hot gas. Too much Taco Bel. Heh.
10
posted on
05/20/2026 2:39:58 PM PDT
by
AFB-XYZ
(( We have two options: 1. Stand up, or 2. Bend over))
To: Red Badger
11
posted on
05/20/2026 4:13:52 PM PDT
by
telescope115
(Ad Astra, Ad Deum…)
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson
