dB 152: Reflection Nebula in Cepheus
Credit & Copyright: Stephen Leshin
Posted on 10/31/2009 6:01:25 AM PDT by sig226
Explanation: Described as a "dusty curtain" or "ghostly apparition", mysterious reflection nebula VdB 152 really is very faint. Far from your neighborhood on this Halloween Night, the cosmic phantom is nearly 1,400 light-years away. Also cataloged as Ced 201, it lies along the northern Milky Way in the royal constellation Cepheus. Near the edge of a large molecular cloud, pockets of interstellar dust in the region block light from background stars or scatter light from the embedded bright star giving parts of the nebula a characteristic blue color. Ultraviolet light from the star is also thought to cause a dim reddish luminescence in the nebular dust. Though stars do form in molecular clouds, this star seems to have only accidentally wandered into the area, as its measured velocity through space is very different from the cloud's velocity. This deep telescopic image of the region spans about 7 light-years.
That’s a really cool one.
FYI: ONE light-year, the *distance* light travels in a year at its constant speed of 186,000 per second, works out to about 5.9 TRILLION miles.:o!
Great pic! Thanks for posting.
Sounds pretty close to an Obama Year, or the amount of money that Obama will spend in one year.
Ooooooooo! Been lurking for years, but now I am a member! Please put me on your list! I LOVE your pictures. Thank You.
That used to be an impressive number. Not so much anymore since deficits have become truly astronomical.
And this one is 1400 times that 5.9 trillion miles.
And in cosmic terms, that’s on our front doorstep.
Isn’t there an image of OBOZO’S MUG etched in that Ether Cloud??
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