Astronomy Picture of the Day
Posted By admin On October 22, 2011 @ 10:09 pm In Photo Essays | Comments Disabled
[1]Credit & Copyright [2]: Image Data - Bob Caton [3], Al Howard [4], Eric Zbinden [5], Rogelio Bernal Andreo [6]; Processing - Rogelio Bernal Andreo
Explanation: Cosmic clouds of gas and dust drift across this magnificent panorama, spanning some 17 degrees near the southern boundary of the heroic constellation Perseus [7]. The collaborative skyscape begins with bluish stars of Perseus at the left, but the eye is drawn to the striking, red NGC 1499 [8]. Also known as the California Nebula, its characteristic glow [9] of atomic hydrogen gas is powered by ultraviolet light from luminous blue star Xi Persei immediately to the nebula’s right. Farther along, intriguing young star cluster IC 348 and [10] neighboring Flying Ghost Nebula are right of center. Connected by dark and dusty tendrils on the outskirts of a giant molecular cloud [11], another active star forming region, NGC 1333 [12], lies near the upper right edge of the wide field of view. Shining faintly, dust clouds strewn throughout [13] the scene are hovering hundreds of light-years above the galactic plane and reflect starlight from the Milky Way [14].
Article printed from Recorder Online: http://www.berthoudrecorder.com
URL to article: http://www.berthoudrecorder.com/2011/10/22/astronomy-picture-of-the-day-78/
URLs in this post:
[1] Image: http://www.berthoudrecorder.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/mbz_2011-09_Clouds_Of_Perseus-2.jpg
[2] Copyright: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
[3] Bob Caton: http://catonastro.com/
[4] Al Howard: http://www.astrophotogallery.org/m49-alhoward-protype1.html
[5] Eric Zbinden: http://www.astrophotogallery.org/u358-eric-zbinden.html
[6] Rogelio Bernal Andreo: http://blog.deepskycolors.com/about.html
[7] Perseus: http://hawastsoc.org/deepsky/per/index.html
[8] red NGC 1499: http://www.atlasoftheuniverse.com/nebulae/ngc1499.html
[9] characteristic glow: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap111013.html
[10] IC 348 and: http://cdsads.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?2006AJ....132..467W&db_key=AST&nosetcookie=1
[11] molecular cloud: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perseus_molecular_cloud
[12] NGC 1333: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090418.html
[13] strewn throughout: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap080512.html
[14] Milky Way: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap110924.html
Click here to print.