 |
Астронет: Астрономическая картинка дня Лисий мех, Единорог и Рождественская елка http://variable-stars.ru/db/msg/1457248/eng |
Credit & Copyright: Stanislav Volskiy,
Chilescope Team
Explanation:
Clouds of glowing hydrogen gas fill this colorful skyscape in the faint
but fanciful constellation
Monoceros,
the Unicorn.
A star forming region
cataloged
as NGC 2264, the complex jumble of
cosmic gas and dust is about 2,700 light-years distant and
mixes reddish emission nebulae
excited by energetic light from
newborn stars with dark
interstellar dust clouds.
Where the otherwise obscuring dust clouds lie close
to the hot, young stars they also reflect starlight, forming blue
reflection nebulae.
The telescopic
image spans about 3/4 degree or nearly 1.5 full moons,
covering 40 light-years at the distance of NGC 2264.
Its cast of cosmic characters includes the
the Fox Fur Nebula, whose
dusty, convoluted pelt lies near the top,
bright variable star S Monocerotis immersed in the blue-tinted haze
near center, and the
Cone
Nebula pointing in from the right side of the frame.
Of course, the stars
of NGC 2264
are also known as the Christmas Tree star cluster.
The triangular tree shape is seen on its side here.
Traced by brighter stars it has its apex at the Cone Nebula.
The tree's broader base is centered near
S
Monocerotis.
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.