Cometary Globules In Orion
Explanation:
Intense
ultraviolet light from massive, hot stars in
the Orion region has sculpted and
compressed clouds of dust and gas in to
distinctively shaped
Cometary Globules.
Seen in this IRAS
infrared image recorded at
a wavelength sensitive to emission from dust, the
elongated globules are easily visible along
with a bright region which corresponds to the
Trapezium star cluster.
Otherwise known as
the Witch Head Nebula,
IC 2118 is the string of globules near the middle right.
Suggestively similar to comets in general appearance only,
Cometary Globules
are interstellar condensations on a vastly
different scale.
These are likely related to star formation episodes in
the Orion
molecular cloud.
Besides those indicated by the arrows,
more comet-shaped clouds or globules are present in this image.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
