Roses are Red
Explanation:
Roses are red, nebulas are too, and this Valentine's gift is a
stunning view!
Pictured is a loving look at the
Rosette Nebula
(
NGC 2237):
a cosmic bloom of bright young stars sitting atop a
stem of glowing hot gas.
The roseБs blue-white speckles are among the
most luminous stars in the galaxy,
with some burning millions of times brighter than the Sun.
Their stellar winds
sculpt the famed rose shape by pushing gas and dust away from the center.
Though only a few million years old, these massive stars are
already nearing the
end of their lives,
while dimmer stars embedded in the nebula will burn for billions
of years to come.
The vibrant red hue comes from
hydrogen gas,
ionized by the
ultraviolet light from the young stars.
The roseБs blue-white center is
color-mapped to indicate the presence of similarly ionized oxygen.
The Rosette Nebula reminds us of the beauty and transformation
woven into the fabric of the universe.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
