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Credit & Copyright: Tasos Liampos
Explanation:
This colorful skyscape spans about two full moons across nebula rich
starfields along the plane of
our Milky Way Galaxy in the royal northern constellation
Cepheus.
Near the edge of the region's massive molecular cloud some 2,400
light-years away, bright reddish emission region
Sharpless
(Sh) 155 is below and right of center, also known as the
Cave Nebula.
About 10 light-years across the cosmic cave's bright walls of
gas are ionized by ultraviolet light from the hot young stars around it.
Dusty blue reflection nebulae,
like vdB
155 at upper left, and dense
obscuring clouds
of dust also abound on the interstellar canvas.
Astronomical
explorations have
revealed other dramatic signs of
star formation, including
the bright red fleck of Herbig-Haro (HH) 168.
Near top center in the frame, the Herbig-Haro object emission is
generated by energetic jets
from
a newborn star.
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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: emission nebula - reflection nebula
Publications with words: emission nebula - reflection nebula
See also: