A Dust Cloud in NGC 281
Explanation:
Stars themselves can create huge and intricate
dust sculptures from the dense and dark
molecular clouds from which they are born.
The tools the stars use to carve their detailed works are
high energy light and fast
stellar winds.
The heat they generate evaporates the dark molecular
dust
as well as causing ambient
hydrogen gas to disperse and
glow red.
Pictured above, a new open cluster of stars designated IC 1590 is
nearing completion around the intricate
interstellar mountain named
NGC 281.
The dust cloud
NGC 281, dubbed the
Pacman nebula because of its
overall shape, is classified as a dense
Bok Globule that lies about 10,000
light years distant.
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.
