Astronomy Picture of the Day
    


M17: Omega Nebula Star Factory
<< Yesterday 19.09.2000 Tomorrow >>
M17: Omega Nebula Star Factory
Credit & Copyright: SOFI, NTT, ESO
Explanation: In the depths of the dark clouds of dust and molecular gas known as M17, stars continue to form. Visible in the above recently released representative-color photograph of M17 by the New Technology Telescope are clouds so dark that they appear almost empty of near infrared light. The darkness of these molecular clouds results from background starlight being absorbed by thick carbon-based smoke-sized dust. As bright massive stars form, they produce intense and energetic light that slowly boils away the dark shroud. M17's unusual appearance has garnered it such nicknames as the Omega Nebula, the Horseshoe Nebula, and the Swan Nebula. M17, visible with binoculars towards the constellation of Sagittarius, lies 5000 light-years away and spans 20 light-years across.

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
 < September 2000  >
Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su




123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930
Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.

Based on Astronomy Picture Of the Day

Publications with keywords: nebula - M 17 - M 1 - molecular cloud - star formation
Publications with words: nebula - M 17 - M 1 - molecular cloud - star formation
See also:
All publications on this topic >>