Astronomy Picture of the Day -- The Cone Nebula from Hubble

NASA ^ | May 28, 2014 | (see photo credit)

[SunkenCiv]

Explanation: Stars are forming in the gigantic dust pillar called the Cone Nebula. Cones, pillars, and majestic flowing shapes abound in stellar nurseries where natal clouds of gas and dust are buffeted by energetic winds from newborn stars. The Cone Nebula, a well-known example, lies within the bright galactic star-forming region NGC 2264. The Cone was captured in unprecedented detail in this close-up composite of several observations from the Earth-orbiting Hubble Space Telescope. While the Cone Nebula, about 2,500 light-years away in Monoceros, is around 7 light-years long, the region pictured here surrounding the cone's blunted head is a mere 2.5 light-years across. In our neck of the galaxy that distance is just over half way from the Sun to its nearest stellar neighbor, the Alpha Centauri star system. The massive star NGC 2264 IRS, seen by Hubble's infrared camera in 1997, is the likely source of the wind sculpting the Cone Nebula and lies off the top of the image. The Cone Nebula's reddish veil is produced by glowing hydrogen gas.

[SunkenCiv]

[Credit: Hubble Legacy Archive, NASA, ESA; Processing & Licence: Judy Schmidt]

[SunkenCiv]

The Big One

join or quit list APoD 'blog post new APoD topic Astronomy Picture of the Day topic & keyword Astronomy Chat, Bloggers & keyword Science Chat, Bloggers & keyword NASA's APoD archive Calendar 1995-present APoD on your desktop

[TheOldLady]

I see a lion sitting on a mountain top, looking up at the stars.

Are you psychoanalyzing my Rorschach musings? ;-)

No matter. Your APOD posts are a highlight of my day.

Thank you, Sir.

[blueunicorn6]

I’m tellin’ ya, that’s my cousin Mo’s high school graduation photo.

[dr_lew]

It so happens that Comet Jacques is passing right next to NGC 2264 on this date. This Starry Night view is very close to the sun right now, and the software exaggerates the comet's brightness greatly. Jacques will have a more favorable aspect from the northern hemisphere later in the summer, from what I gather.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks dr!

[left that other site]

I love that one!

Thank You, Sunky!

[SunkenCiv]

My pleasure, I like a good nebula.

[left that other site]

:-)

[Steely Tom]

[Delta 21]

The Big One is very cool.

[henkster]

Is this a repeat? I think we’ve seen this before.