|
Credit & Copyright: Jari Saukkonen
Explanation:
Where do the dark streams of dust in the Orion Nebula originate?
This part of the
Orion Molecular Cloud
Complex,
M43,
is the often imaged but rarely mentioned neighbor
of the more famous M42.
M42, seen in part
to the upper right, includes many bright stars from the
Trapezium star
cluster.
M43
is itself a star forming region that displays intricately-laced
streams of dark dust -- although it is really composed mostly of glowing
hydrogen gas.
The entire
Orion field is located about 1600
light years away.
Opaque to visible light, the picturesque dark
dust is
created in the outer atmosphere of massive cool stars and expelled by strong
outer winds of
protons and
electrons.
|
January February March April May June July August September October November December |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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: M 43 - Orion Nebula
Publications with words: M 43 - Orion Nebula
See also: