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Credit & Copyright:
Image Data: Subaru Telescope (NAOJ), Hubble Space Telescope,
Additional Color Data and Processing: Robert Gendler
Explanation:
South of the large star-forming region known as the
Orion Nebula, lies bright blue reflection nebula
NGC 1999.
At the edge of the
Orion molecular
cloud complex some 1,500 light-years distant, NGC 1999's
illumination is provided by the
embedded variable star V380 Orionis.
That nebula is marked with a dark sideways T-shape near center in
this
cosmic vista that spans about 10 light-years.
The dark shape was once assumed to be an obscuring dust cloud
seen in silhouette against the bright reflection nebula.
But recent
infrared images
indicate the shape is likely a hole blown through the nebula
itself by energetic young stars.
In fact,
this
region abounds with energetic young stars
producing jets and outflows with luminous shock waves.
Cataloged as Herbig-Haro (HH) objects, named for astronomers
George Herbig and Guillermo Haro,
the shocks look like red gashes in
this scene that includes HH1 and HH2 just below NGC 1999.
The stellar jets
push through the surrounding
material at speeds of hundreds of kilometers per second.
Image Data: Subaru Telescope (NAOJ), Hubble Space Telescope,
Additional Color Data and Processing: Robert Gendler
Comet ISON:
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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: NGC 1999 - reflection nebula - star formation
Publications with words: NGC 1999 - reflection nebula - star formation
See also:
- APOD: 2025 September 19 B The NGC 6914 Complex
- APOD: 2025 July 10 B Lynds Dark Nebula 1251
- APOD: 2025 June 23 B W5: Pillars of Star Formation
- APOD: 2025 April 28 B Gum 37 and the Southern Tadpoles
- APOD: 2025 March 26 B Star Formation in the Pacman Nebula
- Reflections on VdB 31
- The Variable Nebula NGC 2261