Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                               2020 February 8

                        Cosmic Clouds in the Unicorn
                    Image Credit & Copyright: Bray Falls

   Explanation: Interstellar clouds of hydrogen gas and dust abound in
   this gorgeous skyscape. The 3 degree wide field of view stretches
   through the faint but fanciful constellation Monoceros, the Unicorn. A
   star forming region cataloged as NGC 2264 is centered, a complex jumble
   of cosmic gas, dust and stars about 2,700 light-years distant. It mixes
   reddish emission nebulae excited by energetic light from newborn stars
   with dark dust clouds. Where the otherwise obscuring dust clouds lie
   close to hot, young stars they also reflect starlight, forming blue
   reflection nebulae. A few light-years across, a simple sculpted shape
   known as the Cone Nebula is near center. Outlined by the red glow of
   hydrogen gas, the cone points toward the left and bright, blue-white S
   Monocerotis. Itself a multiple system of massive, hot stars S Mon is
   adjacent to bluish reflection nebulae and the convoluted Fox Fur
   nebula. Expansive dark markings on the sky are silhouetted by a larger
   region of fainter emission with yellowish open star cluster Trumpler 5
   near the top of the frame. The curious compact cometary shape right of
   center is known as Hubble's Variable Nebula.

                     Tomorrow's picture: closer to home
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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