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Credit & Copyright: Wes Higgins
Explanation:
Interstellar
dust clouds and
glowing nebulae
abound in the fertile
constellation of Orion.
One of the
brightest, M78,
is centered in this colorful,
wide field view,
covering an area north of
Orion's belt.
At a distance of about 1,500 light-years, the
bluish reflection nebula is around 5 light-years across.
Its tint is due to dust
preferentially
reflecting the blue light
of hot, young stars.
Reflection nebula NGC 2071 is
just
to the left of M78.
Flecks of emission from
Herbig-Haro
objects,
energetic jets from stars in the process of
formation, stand out against the dark dust lanes.
The exposure also brings out the region's fainter, pervasive
reddish glow of atomic hydrogen gas.
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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: reflection nebula
Publications with words: reflection nebula
See also: