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Credit: B. Wallis and R. Provin
Explanation:
What slithers there? The dark winding lanes visible in part of the
constellation
Ophiuchus belong to the Snake Nebula.
The Snake Nebula is a series of
dark absorption clouds
made up of
Interstellar dust.
Interstellar dust grains - composed
predominantly of carbon - absorb visible starlight
and reradiate much of it in the
infrared.
This absorption causes stars behind the clouds to be obscured
from view, hence the appearance of starless voids on the sky.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: nebula - Ophiuchus
Publications with words: nebula - Ophiuchus
See also: