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Credit & Copyright: Jason Close
Explanation:
The Horsehead Nebula,
famous celestial
dark marking also known as Barnard 33,
is notched against a background glow of emission nebulae in
this sharp cosmic skyscape.
About five light-years "tall" the Horsehead
lies some 1,500 light-years away in the constellation
of Orion.
Within the region's fertile molecular cloud complex,
the expanse of obscuring dust has a recognizable shape only
by chance from
our
perspective
in the
Milky
Way
though.
Orion's easternmost belt star, bright Alnitak,
is to the left of center.
Energetic ultraviolet light from
Alnitak powers the glow of
dusty NGC 2024, the Flame Nebula, just below it.
Completing a study in cosmic contrasts, bluish reflection
nebula NGC 2023 is below the Horsehead itself.
This well-framed telescopic field spans about 3 full moons on
the sky.
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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: Flame nebula
Publications with words: Flame nebula
See also: