Astronomy Picture of the Day
Posted By admin On April 16, 2011 @ 9:42 pm In Photo Essays | Comments Disabled
This telescopic close-up shows off the otherwise faint tadpoles [1] of IC 410.
[2]- Click for larger image
The Tadpoles of IC 410
Image Credit & Copyright [3]: Mark Hanson [4]
Explanation: This telescopic close-up shows off the otherwise faint tadpoles [1] of IC 410. The picture is a composite of images taken through both broad and narrow band filters [5]. The narrow band data traces atoms [6] in the nebula, with emission from sulfur atoms in red, hydrogen atoms in green, and oxygen in blue. Partly obscured by foreground dust, the nebula itself [7] surrounds NGC 1893 [8], a young galactic cluster of stars that energizes the glowing gas. Composed of denser cooler gas and dust the tadpoles are around 10 light-years long, potentially sites of ongoing star formation. Sculpted by [9] wind and radiation from the cluster stars, their tails trail away from the cluster’s central region. IC 410 lies some 12,000 light-years away, toward the constellation Auriga [10].
Visit the NASA/JPL website to view more Astronomy Pictures of the Day [11]
Article printed from Recorder Online: http://www.berthoudrecorder.com
URL to article: http://www.berthoudrecorder.com/2011/04/16/astronomy-picture-of-the-day-58/
URLs in this post:
[1] tadpoles: http://www.countrysideinfo.co.uk/metindex.htm
[2] Image: http://www.berthoudrecorder.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/IC410_hanson.jpg
[3] Copyright: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
[4] Mark Hanson: http://www.btlguce.com/
[5] narrow band filters: http://hubblesite.org/gallery/behind_the_pictures/meaning_of_color/eagle.php
[6] traces atoms: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap060324.html
[7] the nebula itself: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap060815.html
[8] NGC 1893: http://www.arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph?papernum=9909065
[9] Sculpted by: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap050425.html
[10] constellation Auriga: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap100305.html
[11] Astronomy Pictures of the Day: http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/
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