Astronomy Picture of the Day -- The Dark Tower in Scorpius

NASA ^ | January 06, 2012 | (see photo credit)

[SunkenCiv]

Explanation: In silhouette against a crowded star field toward the constellation Scorpius, this dusty cosmic cloud evokes for some the image of an ominous dark tower. In fact, clumps of dust and molecular gas collapsing to form stars may well lurk within the dark nebula, a structure that spans almost 40 light-years across this gorgeous telescopic portrait. Known as a cometary globule, the swept-back cloud, extending from the lower right to the head (top of the tower) left and above center, is shaped by intense ultraviolet radiation from the OB association of very hot stars in NGC 6231, off the upper edge of the scene. That energetic ultraviolet light also powers the globule's bordering reddish glow of hydrogen gas. Hot stars embedded in the dust can be seen as bluish reflection nebulae. This dark tower, NGC 6231, and associated nebulae are about 5,000 light-years away.

[SunkenCiv]

[Credit & Copyright: Don Goldman]

[SunkenCiv]

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[onyx]

Fascinating!
Thanks very much, SunkenCiv.

[MestaMachine]

I don't see a tower. I see a warrior riding hard on horseback with a sword sheathed over his right shoulder.

[umgud]

Always enjoy these posts.

[TheOldLady]

It’s 5,000 light years away? No wonder it took Roland Deschain seven novels by Stephen King to get there.

[Conan the Librarian]

Well he was busy dodging sniches in the Calla.

[RandallFlagg]

I actually listened to every one of those books in audiobook form last year.
But I read The Gunslinger and The Drawing of the Three about 20 years ago.
Couldn’t make it past The Wastelands, though.
Too busy.

[SunkenCiv]

;’)

[Some Fat Guy in L.A.]

Where Sauron went after the Ring was destroyed?

[Hot Tabasco]

Are those photos color enhanced?

[SunkenCiv]

Chalk outline of a victim?

[Joe 6-pack]

One of my illuminated miniatures...;-)

[Eaker]

No wonder it took Roland Deschain seven novels by Stephen King to get there.

LOL!

[SunkenCiv]

Nice!

[TheOldLady]

[smiles]

[piasa]

I checked your profile to see if you had more ... and the owl is beautiful!

[TheOldLady]

Good point!

[TheOldLady]

I've read the seven-book series twice and hope to read it again before I croak.

I hope that you get a chance to read them all. I was captivated from the beginning of The Gunslinger.

[Joe 6-pack]

Thanks. The owl was something of an experimental piece. I’ve always tried to work in authentic media, including distilling my own gum and grinding my own gesso and pigments. I bought a bottle of miniatum size, a 20th century product, to play around with. If you notice the gilded border is slightly raised and has a higher polish than the gilded background it’s by virtue of the miniatum.