Astronomy Picture of the Day
Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.
2002 May 3 
Posted on 05/02/2002 10:08:40 PM PDT by petuniasevan
Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.
2002 May 3
Explanation: Cones, pillars, and majestic flowing shapes abound in stellar nurseries where natal clouds of gas and dust are buffeted by energetic winds from newborn stars. A well-known example, the Cone Nebula within the bright galactic star-forming region NGC 2264, was captured in this close-up view from the Hubble Space Telescope's newest camera. While the Cone Nebula, about 2,500 light-years away in Monoceros, is around 7 light-years long, the region pictured here surrounding the cone's blunted head is a mere 2.5 light-years across. In our neck of the galaxy that distance is just over half way from the Sun to its nearest stellar neighbor, Alpha Centauri. The massive star NGC 2264 IRS, seen by Hubble's infrared camera in 1997, 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.
Get on the APOD PING list! 
EagleNebula, follow the link for "in our Neck" and look towards the bottom right/center side. I see you in space. COOL
The data is much more accurate, even with glitches, than anything a ground-based 'scope could image. As for image reality, don't forget that although image enhancement is used, often to seemingly artistic ends, the astronomers are looking for hard data. Thus they're really not glossing over "so-so" images, but bringing out details which otherwise might go unnoticed. Compare images of the Orion Nebula taken with ground-based 'scopes, to ones imaged with the Hubble Space Telescope. Nothing that's not there has been added; rather, now we have a sharper, more detailed image because the limit of resolution is much higher outside the blurry atmosphere.
Colors? Don't forget that imaging is done through different filters, then recombined to bring out those subtle details the astronomers want to observe and study. You won't see those colors when observing through your own 'scope because the visible image is too dim. Only a long exposure brings out the brilliant colors of a distant nebula.
I think I gave away the "wallpaper of the month" prematurely, on 5-1. This one defintely takes it.
I have a friend that owns a graphics shop, and has a digital imaging machine. Might just call in a favor...
One more thing petuniaseven,RE post #9, I am engaged and madly in love, but I get goose bumps when I hear a woman get intellectual..lol
Kermit
After all the eagles that God has used and sent across my path the last few years, to assure and comfort and guide me.....it just seemed highly appropriate when Tom and I saw the pictures of that Nebula, to be my name on FR. Have you seen that Nebula? It is beautiful!
thanks for the ping!
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