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Credit & Copyright: Alan Pham
Explanation:
In the constellation of the
swan near the nebula of the pelican lies the
gas cloud of the butterfly
next to a star known as the hen.
That star, given the proper name
Sadr,
is just to the right of the featured frame, but the central
Butterfly Nebula, designated
IC 1318, is shown in high resolution.
The intricate patterns in the bright gas and
dark dust are caused by complex interactions between
interstellar winds,
radiation pressures, magnetic fields, and gravity.
The
featured telescopic view captures
IC 1318's
characteristic emission from ionized
sulfur,
hydrogen, and
oxygen atoms mapped to the
red, green, and blue hues of the popular
Hubble Palette.
The portion of the Butterfly Nebula pictured spans about 100
light years
and lies about 4000 light years away.
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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: butterfly nebula
Publications with words: butterfly nebula
See also: