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Credit & Copyright: Bray Falls
Explanation:
Interstellar clouds of hydrogen gas and dust abound in
this gorgeous
skyscape.
The 3 degree wide field of view stretches through the faint
but fanciful constellation
Monoceros,
the Unicorn.
A star forming region
cataloged
as NGC 2264 is centered,
a complex jumble of cosmic gas, dust and stars about 2,700 light-years distant.
It mixes reddish emission nebulae
excited by energetic light from
newborn stars with dark dust clouds.
Where the otherwise obscuring dust clouds lie close
to hot, young stars they also reflect starlight, forming blue
reflection nebulae.
A few light-years across, a simple sculpted shape known as the
Cone Nebula is near center.
Outlined by the red glow of hydrogen gas, the cone points toward the
left and bright, blue-white
S Monocerotis.
Itself a multiple system of massive, hot stars
S Mon is adjacent to bluish reflection nebulae and
the convoluted Fox Fur nebula.
Expansive dark markings on the sky
are silhouetted by a
larger region of fainter emission with yellowish open star
cluster Trumpler 5 near the top of the frame.
The curious compact cometary shape right of center is known as
Hubble's
Variable Nebula.
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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: emission nebula - reflection nebula - NGC 2264
Publications with words: emission nebula - reflection nebula - NGC 2264
See also: