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Credit & Copyright: Paolo Moroni
Explanation:
Fans of our fair planet
might recognize the outlines of these
cosmic clouds.
On the left, bright emission outlined by dark, obscuring dust lanes
seems to trace a continental shape,
lending the popular name
North
America Nebula to the emission region cataloged as NGC 7000.
To the right, just off the North America Nebula's east coast,
is IC 5070, whose profile suggests the Pelican
Nebula.
The two bright nebulae are about 1,500 light-years away,
part of the same large
and complex star forming region, almost as nearby as the
better-known Orion Nebula.
At that distance, the 6 degree wide field of view would span
150 light-years.
This careful
cosmic portrait uses narrow band images
to highlight the bright
ionization fronts and the characteristic
red glow from atomic hydrogen gas.
These
nebulae can be seen with binoculars from a dark location.
Look northeast of bright star
Deneb in the constellation of Cygnus the Swan.
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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: North America Nebula - Pelican Nebula
Publications with words: North America Nebula - Pelican Nebula
See also: