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Credit & Copyright: Tommy Lease
Explanation:
A study in contrasts,
this colorful cosmic
skyscape
features
stars,
dust, and glowing gas
in the vicinity of NGC 6914.
The
interstellar complex of nebulae
lies some 6,000 light-years away,
toward the high-flying northern constellation
Cygnus and the plane of our Milky Way Galaxy.
Obscuring interstellar dust clouds appear in
silhouette while reddish hydrogen
emission nebulae,
along with the dusty blue
reflection nebulae,
fill the cosmic canvas.
Ultraviolet radiation from the massive, hot, young stars of the
extensive
Cygnus OB2
association ionize the region's atomic
hydrogen gas, producing
the characteristic red glow as protons and electrons recombine.
Embedded Cygnus OB2 stars also provide the
blue starlight strongly reflected by the dust clouds.
The over one degree wide telescopic field of view spans
about 100 light-years at the estimated distance of NGC 6914.
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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: emission nebula - reflection nebula
Publications with words: emission nebula - reflection nebula
See also:
- APOD: 2025 September 10 Á The Great Lacerta Nebula
- APOD: 2025 July 21 Á Cats Paw Nebula from Webb Space Telescope
- APOD: 2025 July 16 Á The Rosette Nebula from DECam
- APOD: 2025 July 5 Á Ou4: The Giant Squid Nebula
- APOD: 2025 June 26 Á The Seagull Nebula
- NGC 6164: A Dragon s Egg
- APOD: 2025 February 18 Á Thors Helmet versus the Seagull