IC 2118: The Witch Head Nebula
Explanation:
Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and cauldron bubble -- maybe
Macbeth should have consulted the Witch Head Nebula.
This suggestively shaped
reflection nebula
is associated with the
bright star Rigel in the
constellation Orion.
More formally known as
IC 2118,
the Witch Head Nebula glows primarily by light reflected from
Rigel, the bright star just left of center in the above image.
Fine
dust
in the nebula reflects the light.
The blue color is caused not only by
Rigel's blue color but because the
dust grains reflect blue light more efficiently than red.
The same
physical process causes
Earth's daytime sky to appear blue, although the scatterers in
Earth's atmosphere are molecules of
nitrogen and
oxygen.
The nebula lies about 1000
light-years away.
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.
