This ominous cloud of glowing red gas and dust is one of our universe's energetic star forming regions. Powerful ultraviolet radiation from fledgeling stars strips electrons from the hydrogen gas around them. The electrons eventually recombine with the atoms producing visible red light with a longer wavelength. The dark streaks in the photo are produced by dust clouds which absorb the light. It was taken using the Isaac Newton Telescope's Wide Field Camera.
When I look at this image I wonder how could something so beautiful and dramatic just have randomly formed in the middle of space.
Why is red light produced instead of another color?
Why did this region form stars so late? (or did it really form these stars long ago?)
What would this image look like if you colored in the ultraviolet light?
Where in space is this?
Are these formations common?
Image based on data obtained as part of the INT Photometric Hα Survey of the Northern Galactic Plane: prepared by Nick Wright,University College London
"http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap050930.html"
Wow great image. I really love your description of the picture and am also very interested in finding the answers to some of the questions you raised. Especially why the red color is produced instead of other colors.Great job!
ReplyDeleteCharles this is an absolutely astonishing photo. Your description of how this star was able to form and your explanation of the colors was very interesting and attention-grabbing. Moreover, I completely with your statements and questions about this picture. One that stood out to me the most would be your idea about why something like this would form in the middle space. It is certainly easy to ponder why something of this magnitude and something that is so intricate would form so far away from earth and nonetheless in the middle of nowhere. All in all though i enjoyed reading about this picture and overall it was a great picture to choose for analyzing and posting.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great image. You did a great job on explaining what this is and I definitely have some of the same questions as you, like why is the red light portrayed instead of another color and where is this in space? Over all you did an awesome job on this.
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