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 November 26

                           The Great Turkey Nebula
                 Imagination Credit & Copyright: Eric Coles

   Explanation: Surprisingly reminiscent of The Great Nebula in Orion, The
   Great Turkey Nebula spans this creative field of view. Of course if it
   were the Orion Nebula it would be our closest large stellar nursery,
   found at the edge of a large molecular cloud a mere 1,500 light-years
   away. Also known as M42, the Orion Nebula is visible to the eye as the
   middle "star" in the sword of Orion the Hunter, a constellation now
   rising in planet Earth's evening skies. Stellar winds from clusters of
   newborn stars scattered throughout the Orion Nebula sculpt its ridges
   and cavities seen in familiar in telescopic images. Similar in size to
   the Orion Nebula, this Great Turkey Nebula was imagined to be about 13
   light-years across. Stay safe and well.

               Tomorrow's picture: painted with a starry brush
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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