心脏星云的国度

心脏星云的国度

Near to the Heart Nebula
Image Credit & Copyright: Jeff Horne & Drew Evans

Explanation: What excites the Heart Nebula? First, the large emission nebula on the upper left, catalogued as IC 1805, looks somewhat like a human heart. The nebula glows brightly in red light emitted by its most prominent element, hydrogen, but this long-exposure image was also blended with light emitted by sulfur (yellow) and oxygen (blue). In the center of the Heart Nebula are young stars from the open star cluster Melotte 15 that are eroding away several picturesque dust pillars with their atom-exciting energetic light and winds. The Heart Nebula is located about 7,500 light years away toward the constellation of Cassiopeia. This wide field image shows much more, though, including the Fishhead Nebula just below the Heart, a supernova remnant on the lower left, and three planetary nebulas on the image right. Taken over 57 nights, this image is so deep, though, that it clearly shows fainter long and complex filaments.

Tomorrow’s picture: twisted galaxy

心脏星云的国度
影像提供与版权: Jeff Horne & Drew Evans

说明: 是什么在激发心脏星云？首先，左上角这个位于仙后 座方向7,500光年远处、形似人类心脏的大型发射星云，其编录号为IC 1805。 此星云散发的明亮红光，主要来自它含量最丰富的元素：氢，但这张长曝光影像也融合了来自硫的黄光和氧的蓝光。而位于心脏星云中心的疏散星团Melotte 15之年轻恒星，发出的高能星光和恒星风，除了激发原子发光之外，也侵蚀出数根美丽的尘埃柱。此外，这幅广视野影像还记录了出现在心脏星云方向的多个天体，包括其下方的鱼头星云、左下角的超新星遗迹、及影像右侧的3个行星状星云。在这幅摄于57个夜晚的极深空影像里，甚至连昏暗颀长形状复杂的云气丝也清晰可辨。

明日的图片: twisted galaxy