Sunday, April 19, 2015

The Horsehead Nebula

The Horsehead Nebula: APOD: 2012 October 21 - The Horsehead Nebula





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Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is
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2012 October 21




See Explanation.  Clicking on the picture will download
 the highest resolution version available.
The Horsehead Nebula
Credit & Copyright:
Nigel Sharp
(NOAO),
KPNO,
AURA,
NSF

Explanation:
One of the most identifiable nebulae in the sky,
the Horsehead Nebula in Orion, is part of a large, dark,
molecular cloud.

Also known as Barnard 33, the unusual shape was first
discovered on a
photographic plate in the late 1800s.

The red glow originates from
hydrogen
gas predominantly behind the nebula, ionized by the nearby bright star
Sigma Orionis.

The darkness of the
Horsehead is caused mostly by thick
dust,
although the lower part of the
Horsehead's neck casts a shadow to the left.

Streams of gas leaving
the nebula are funneled by a strong
magnetic field.

Bright spots in the
Horsehead Nebula's base are
young stars just in the process of forming.

Light takes about 1,500 years to reach us from the
Horsehead Nebula.

The
above image was taken with the
0.9-meter telescope at
Kitt Peak National Observatory.





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