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Credit & Copyright: (Top)
NASA,
NOAO,
ESA,
Hubble Heritage Team
(STScI /
AURA)
(Bottom) T.A. Rector (NOAO/AURA/NSF), Hubble Heritage Team; Copyright
Explanation:
Difficult to see in small telescopes, the Horsehead nebula was
recently
selected by internet voters as a target for
the Hubble Space Telescope.
Above (top) is
Hubble's
detailed view of the
dark cosmic dust cloud, released
to celebrate the 11th anniversary of the workhorse orbiting observatory.
Below it is a
stunning
ground-based view from
the NOAO 0.9 meter telescope at
Kitt Peak National Observatory
which shows the dark Horsehead against a wider edge-on expanse of
glowing gas.
Dramatic dust and gas clouds in and
around
the Horsehead are part of a large,
complex stellar nursery seen towards the
constellation of Orion.
This star forming region is about 1,500 light-years distant and
includes the well known Orion nebula.
The Horsehead nebula is found just south of
Zeta Orionis, the
easternmost star in Orion's belt.
(Bottom) T.A. Rector (NOAO/AURA/NSF), Hubble Heritage Team; Copyright
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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 - HST - dark nebula - Horsehead Nebula
Publications with words: nebula - HST - dark nebula - Horsehead Nebula
See also: