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Credit & Copyright: Ashraf Abu Sara
Explanation:
A great
nebulous region
near bright star omicron Persei offers this study in cosmic contrasts.
Captured in
the telescopic frame
the colorful complex of dust, gas, and stars
spans about 3 degrees on the sky along the edge of the
Perseus molecular
cloud
some 1000 light-years away.
Surrounded by a bluish halo of dust reflected starlight, omicron Persei
itself is just left of center.
Immediately below it lies the intriguing young star cluster IC 348
recently explored
by the James Webb Space Telescope.
In silhouette against the diffuse reddish glow of
hydrogen gas,
dark and obscuring interstellar dust cloud Barnard 3
is at upper right.
Of course the cosmic dust also
tends to hide newly formed stars
and young stellar objects or protostars from
prying optical telescopes.
At the Perseus molecular cloud's
estimated distance, this field
of view would span about 50 light-years.
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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: reflection nebula - dark nebula
Publications with words: reflection nebula - dark nebula
See also: