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Credit & Copyright: Jason Jennings
Explanation:
Connecting the
Pipe Nebula to the colorful region near bright
star Antares is a dark cloud dubbed the
Dark River,
flowing from the picture's left edge.
Murky looking, the
Dark River's appearance is caused by
dust
obscuring background starlight, although the dark nebula
contains mostly
hydrogen and
molecular gas.
Surrounded by dust,
Antares,
a red supergiant star, creates an unusual bright yellowish
reflection nebula.
Above it, bright blue double star
Rho Ophiuchi is embedded
in one
of the more typical
bluish reflection nebulae, while
red emission nebulae
are also scattered around the region.
Globular star cluster M4 is just seen above and right
of
Antares,
though it lies far behind the colorful clouds, at a distance of some 7,000
light-years.
The Dark River itself is about 500
light years away.
The colorful skyscape
is a mosaic of telescopic images spanning nearly
10 degrees (20 Full Moons) across the sky in the constellation of the Scorpion
(Scorpius).
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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: Antares - dust
Publications with words: Antares - dust
See also: