Astronomy Picture of the Day - The Cotton Candy Clouds of Rho Ophiuchi

NASA | 1 Jul, 2026 | Image Credit & Copyright: Ángel Molina Text: Keighley Rockcliffe (NASA GSFC, UMBC CSST, CRESST II)

[MtnClimber]

Explanation: Although they look like cotton candy, you cannot eat these clouds! Taken in Cádiz, Spain, today's image features the Rho Ophiuchi complex, a rich tapestry of young and old astronomical phenomena. This colorful cloud complex is a nearby star-forming region containing hundreds of young stellar objects, including protostars and T Tauri stars. Light from the triple star system at its center reflects off of small dust grains to create the blue reflection nebula. Ultraviolet light from hot stars ionizes the surrounding hydrogen gas, creating the red emission nebula. Antares, a red supergiant big enough to engulf the Solar System’s asteroid belt, lights up the yellow region. Dark interstellar dust blocks some of the complex’s color. Recent JWST observations exhibit shadows cast by hidden circumstellar disks, the beginning stages of planet formation. Messier 4, a globular cluster almost as old as the universe, sits in the bottom right and witnesses yet another chaotic burst of youth in the Milky Way.

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TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; nasa

[MtnClimber]

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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.

[MtnClimber]

[MtnClimber]

Pinging the APOD list

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[NavyShoe]

Globular clusters rule.

[lee martell]

It’s a Classical Gas.

[No name given]

Wow.

[Islander7]

Man I wish that was not so low on the horizon from my location.

[HandyDandy]

Golly gee, Wally!