|   | 
Credit & Copyright: Ken Crawford    
(Rancho Del Sol Observatory)  
  
Explanation:
What creates the cosmic dust sculptures in the Rosette Nebula?    
  
Noted for the common beauty of its   
overall shape, parts of the   
Rosette Nebula, also known as NGC 2244,   
show beauty even when viewed up close.    
  
Visible above are   
globules of dark   
dust and gas that are slowly being   
eroded away by the energetic light and winds by nearby  
massive stars.    
  
Left alone long enough, the   
molecular-cloud globules   
would likely form stars and planets.    
  
The above image was taken in very specific colors of   
Silicon   
(shaded red),   
Hydrogen   
(green), and   
Oxygen (blue).  
  
The Rosette Nebula spans about 50   
light-years across, lies   
about 4,500 light-years away,   
and can be seen with a small telescope towards the constellation of Monoceros.  
  
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Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: dust - Rosette Nebula - NGC 2237
Publications with words: dust - Rosette Nebula - NGC 2237
See also:
