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Credit & Copyright:
Photograph made from plates taken with the UK Schmidt Telescope.
Color photography by David Malin.
Copyright: Anglo-Australian Telescope Board
Explanation:
The Horsehead Nebula
is arguably the most famous nebula on the sky. It is visible
as the black indentation to the red emission
nebula
seen just to the right of center of the above photograph. The
bright star near the center is located in the belt of the familiar
constellation of Orion.
The horse-head feature is dark because it is really an opaque
dust cloud which lies in
front of the bright red emission nebula.
Like clouds in Earth's atmosphere,
this cosmic cloud has assumed a recognizable shape by chance.
After many thousands of years, the internal motions of the cloud
will alter its appearance. The emission nebula's
red color is caused by electrons recombining with protons to form
hydrogen atoms. Also
visible in the picture are blue reflection nebulae,
which preferentially reflect the blue light from nearby stars.
Photograph made from plates taken with the UK Schmidt Telescope.
Color photography by David Malin.
Copyright: Anglo-Australian Telescope Board
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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 - Orion - Horsehead Nebula
Publications with words: nebula - Orion - Horsehead Nebula
See also:
- A December Winter Night
- APOD: 2024 November 25 Á The Horsehead Nebula
- APOD: 2024 September 10 Á Horsehead and Orion Nebulas
- APOD: 2024 June 11 Á Colorful Stars and Clouds near Rho Ophiuchi
- APOD: 2024 January 31 Á Camera Orion Rising
- APOD: 2024 January 23 Á Deep Nebulas: From Seagull to California
- APOD: 2024 January 16 Á The Orion You Can Almost See