LDN 43: The Cosmic Bat Nebula
Image Credit & Copyright: Mark Hanson and Mike Selby; Text: Michelle Thaller (NASA’s GSFC)
Explanation: What is the most spook-tacular nebula in the galaxy? One contender is LDN 43, which bears an astonishing resemblance to a vast cosmic bat flying amongst the stars on a dark Halloween night. Located about 1400 light years away in the constellation Ophiuchus, this molecular cloud is dense enough to block light not only from background stars, but from wisps of gas lit up by the nearby reflection nebula LBN 7. Far from being a harbinger of death, this 12-light year-long filament of gas and dust is actually a stellar nursery. Glowing with eerie light, the bat is lit up from inside by dense gaseous knots that have just formed young stars.
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LDN 43: 星宇蝙蝠星云
图像提供与版权: Mark Hanson and Mike Selby；撰稿: Michelle Thaller（NASA’s GSFC）
说明: 银河系最惊悚的星云是那个？暗星云LDN 43会是个有力的竞争者，因为它高度形似万圣节夜在恒星之间飞舞的巨大宇宙蝙蝠。这团位在蛇夫座方向约1400光年远处的分子云，其密度高到能遮挡背景恒星的星光，以及邻近反射星云LBN 7云气丝所反射的星光。不过，这道长达12光年的气体与尘埃丝，并非灭亡使者，反而是个创生的恒星形成区。这只蝙蝠之所以会散发怪异的光芒，其实受到内部刚诞生年轻恒星的致密气体结之照亮。
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明日的图片: massive stars
