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Credit & Copyright: Roberto
Colombari
Explanation:
Rigil
Kentaurus is the bright star near the top of this broad
southern skyscape.
Of course it's probably better known as
Alpha Centauri, nearest star system to the Sun.
Below it sprawls a
dark nebula
complex.
The obscuring interstellar dust clouds include
Sandqvist catalog clouds 169 and 172
in silhouette against the rich starfields along the southern Milky Way.
Rigil Kent is
a mere 4.37 light-years
away, but the dusty dark nebulae lie at the edge of the
starforming
Circinus-West
molecular cloud about 2,500 light-years distant.
The wide-field of view
spans over 12 degrees (24 full moons) across southern skies.
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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: Alpha Centauri
Publications with words: Alpha Centauri
See also: