The Seagull Nebula
Image Credit & Copyright: Carlos Taylor
Explanation: A broad expanse of glowing gas and dust presents a bird-like visage to astronomers from planet Earth, suggesting its popular moniker – The Seagull Nebula. Using narrowband image data, this 3-panel mosaic of the cosmic bird covers a 2.5 degree swath across the plane of the Milky Way, near the direction of Sirius, alpha star of the constellation Canis Major. Likely part of a larger shell structure swept up by successive supernova explosions, the broad Seagull Nebula is cataloged as Sh2-296 and IC 2177. The prominent bluish arc below and right of center is a bow shock from runaway star FN Canis Majoris. This complex of gas and dust clouds with other stars of the Canis Majoris OB1 association spans over 200 light-years at the Seagull Nebula’s estimated 3,800 light-year distance.
Tomorrow’s picture: pixels in space
海鸥星云
图像提供与版权: Carlos Taylor
说明: 这大团发光气体与尘埃云，对地球上的天文学家来说形如鸟面，故有海鸥星云之令名。这幅由3张窄波段相片拼合而成的海鸥星云图像，涵盖大犬座最亮星─天狼星方向、分跨在银河系盘面二侧的2.5度天区。编录号为Sh2-296及IC 2177的宽阔海鸥星云，很可能是连续超新星爆炸造成的更大气壳结构之一部分。图像中下方的醒目泛蓝光弧，则是来自高速移动的大犬FN星协所激发的弓形激震波。以海鸥星云的3,800光年估计距离来换算，这个气体和尘埃云复合体及大犬OB1星协的其他恒星的总和跨幅超过200光年。
明日的图片: pixels in space
