|
Credit & Copyright: Tim White
Explanation:
What do the following things have in common:
a cone, the fur of a fox, and a Christmas tree?
Answer: they all occur in the constellation of the Unicorn
(Monoceros).
Considered as a star forming region
and cataloged as NGC 2264, the complex jumble of
cosmic gas and dust is about 2,700 light-years distant and
mixes reddish emission nebulae
excited by energetic light from
newborn stars with dark
interstellar dust clouds.
The
featured image spans an angle larger than a
full moon, covering over 50
light-years at the distance of NGC 2264.
Its cast of cosmic characters includes
the Fox Fur Nebula, whose
convoluted pelt lies just to the left of the image center, bright
variable star
S Mon
visible just to the right of the Fox Fur, and the
Cone Nebula near the image top.
With the
Cone Nebula at the peak, the shape of the general glow of the
region give it the nickname of the
Christmas Tree Cluster,
where stars are tree ornaments.
Explore Your Universe:
Random APOD Generator
|
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: Fox Fur Nebula
Publications with words: Fox Fur Nebula
See also: