Astronomy Picture of the Day
    


The Spider and the Fly
<< Yesterday 12.01.2010 Tomorrow >>
The Spider and the Fly
Credit & Copyright: Troy Tsounis
Explanation: Bright clusters and nebulae abound in the ancient northern constellation of Auriga. The region includes the open star cluster M38, emission nebula IC 410 with Tadpoles, Auriga's own Flaming Star Nebula IC 405, and this interesting pair IC 417 (lower left) and NGC 1931. An imaginative eye toward the expansive IC 417 and diminutive NGC 1931 suggests a cosmic spider and fly. About 10,000 light-years distant, both represent young, open star clusters formed in interstellar clouds and still embedded in glowing hydrogen gas. For scale, the more compact NGC 1931 is about 10 light-years across.


Note: An APOD editor will review great space images on Thursday, January 14, in Houghton, Michigan.

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
 < January 2010  >
Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su




123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
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: open cluster - emission nebula
Publications with words: open cluster - emission nebula
See also:
All publications on this topic >>