Astronomy Picture of the Day
Posted By admin On November 26, 2011 @ 9:27 pm In Photo Essays | Comments Disabled
The prominent ridge of emission featured in this vivid skyscape is designated IC 5067. Part of a larger emission nebula with a distinctive shape, popularly called The Pelican Nebula, the ridge spans about 10 light-years and follows the curve of the cosmic pelican’s head and neck.
[1]
Image Credit & Copyright [2]: Martin Pugh [3]
Explanation: The prominent ridge of emission featured in this vivid skyscape [4] is designated IC 5067 [5]. Part of a larger emission nebula [6] with a distinctive shape, popularly called The Pelican Nebula [7], the ridge spans about 10 light-years and follows the curve of the cosmic pelican’s head and neck. The Pelican Nebula close-up was constructed from narrowband data mapping emission [8] from sulfur, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms to red, green, and blue colors. Fantastic, dark shapes inhabiting the view are clouds of cool gas and dust sculpted by [9] energetic radiation from young, hot, massive stars. But stars are also forming within the dark shapes. In fact, twin jets emerging from the tip of the long, dark tendril below center are the telltale signs [10] of an embedded protostar cataloged as Herbig-Haro [11] 555. The Pelican Nebula itself, also known as IC 5070, is about 2,000 light-years away. To find [12] it, look northeast of bright star Deneb [13] in the high flying constellation Cygnus.
Article printed from Recorder Online: http://www.berthoudrecorder.com
URL to article: http://www.berthoudrecorder.com/2011/11/26/astronomy-picture-of-the-day-93/
URLs in this post:
[1] Image: http://www.berthoudrecorder.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/IC5067NB_pugh75pct.jpg
[2] Copyright: http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
[3] Martin Pugh: http://www.martinpughastrophotography.id.au/
[4] this vivid skyscape: http://www.martinpughastrophotography.id.au/Nebulae/IC5067.htm
[5] IC 5067: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap061227.html
[6] emission nebula: http://www.noao.edu/image_gallery/emission_nebulae.html
[7] The Pelican Nebula: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap061130.html
[8] mapping emission: http://hubblesite.org/gallery/behind_the_pictures/meaning_of_color/eagle.php
[9] sculpted by: http://www.noao.edu/outreach/press/pr03/pr0308.html
[10] telltale signs: http://iopscience.iop.org/1538-3881/126/2/893/203089.text.html
[11] Herbig-Haro: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbig-Haro_objects
[12] To find: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap070702.html
[13] star Deneb: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap070920.html
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