IC 348与巴纳德3

IC 348与巴纳德3

IC 348 and Barnard 3
Image Credit & Copyright: Ashraf Abu Sara

Explanation: A great nebulous region near bright star omicron Persei offers this study in cosmic contrasts. Captured in the telescopic frame the colorful complex of dust, gas, and stars spans about 3 degrees on the sky along the edge of the Perseus molecular cloud some 1000 light-years away. Surrounded by a bluish halo of dust reflected starlight, omicron Persei itself is just left of center. Immediately below it lies the intriguing young star cluster IC 348 recently explored by the James Webb Space Telescope. In silhouette against the diffuse reddish glow of hydrogen gas, dark and obscuring interstellar dust cloud Barnard 3 is at upper right. Of course the cosmic dust also tends to hide newly formed stars and young stellar objects or protostars from prying optical telescopes. At the Perseus molecular cloud’s estimated distance, this field of view would span about 50 light-years.

Tomorrow’s picture: pixels in space

IC 348与巴纳德3
影像提供与版权: Ashraf Abu Sara

说明: 亮星御夫座卷舌五（Omicron Persei）附近的一大片云气，是此次宇宙天体对比研究的主题。在这幅望远镜影像里，这片色彩缤纷的尘埃、气体和恒星复合体，位于离地球约1000光年的英仙座分子云之边缘，约莫横跨了3度的天区。位于视野中左方的卷舌五，周围环拱着尘埃反射星光的泛蓝晕光。紧贴在它下方的，是韦伯太空望远镜最近探索过的年轻星团IC 348。影像右上角以氢气泛红辉光为衬底的剪影状天体，则是黝黑不透光的星际尘埃云巴纳德3。想当然耳，这些宇宙尘埃也会遮掩刚诞生的恒星和年轻的原恒星，让光学望远镜难以见到它们。依英仙座分子云所在的距离来换算，这片视野宽约50光年。

明日的图片: pixels in space