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 August 7

                               The Pipe Nebula
                    Image Credit & Copyright: Jose Mtanos

   Explanation: East of Antares, dark markings sprawl through crowded star
   fields toward the center of our Milky Way Galaxy. Cataloged in the
   early 20th century by astronomer E. E. Barnard, the obscuring
   interstellar dust clouds include B59, B72, B77 and B78, seen in against
   the starry background. Here, their combined shape suggests a pipe stem
   and bowl, and so the dark nebula's popular name is the Pipe Nebula. The
   deep and expansive view covers a full 10 by 10 degree field in the
   pronounceable constellation Ophiuchus. The Pipe Nebula is part of the
   Ophiuchus dark cloud complex located at a distance of about 450
   light-years. Dense cores of gas and dust within the Pipe Nebula are
   collapsing to form stars.

                     Tomorrow's picture: Somewhat Saturn
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
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