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Credit & Copyright: Rogelio Bernal
Andreo (Deep Sky Colors)
Explanation:
An astronomical trip from the California Nebula to the Pleiades
star cluster would cover just 12 degrees across planet Earth's night sky.
That's equivalent to the
angular extent of 25 Full Moons,
as your telescope sweeps over the borders of the
constellations Perseus and Taurus.
This wide and deep mosaic image
of the region explores the
cosmic landscape's dusty nebulae and colors
otherwise too faint
for your eye to see.
On the left, cataloged as NGC 1499, the
California Nebula does
have a familiar shape, though its coastline is actually over
60 light-years long and lies about 1,500 light-years
away.
The nebula's pronounced reddish glow is from hydrogen atoms ionized
by luminous blue star Xi Persei seen just to its right.
At the far right, the famous
Pleiades star cluster is some
400 light-years distant and around 15 light-years across.
Its spectacular blue color is due to the reflection of starlight
by interstellar dust.
In between are hot stars of the Perseus OB2
association and
dusty, dark nebulae along the edge of the nearby, massive
Perseus
molecular cloud.
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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: pleiades - star cluster
Publications with words: pleiades - star cluster
See also:
- APOD: 2024 January 29 Á The Pleiades: Seven Dusty Sisters
- APOD: 2024 January 15 Á Star Cluster IC 348 from Webb
- APOD: 2023 December 10 Á Big Dipper over Pyramid Mountain
- Pic du Pleiades
- APOD: 2023 February 19 Á Seven Dusty Sisters in Infrared
- Young Star Cluster NGC 346
- Messier 45: The Daughters of Atlas and Pleione