Astronomy Picture of the Day
    


The N44 Emission Nebula
<< Yesterday 13.02.2006 Tomorrow >>
The N44 Emission Nebula
Credit & Copyright: WFI, MPG/ESO 2.2-m Telescope, La Silla, ESO
Explanation: N44 is one of the largest and most intricate nebulas in this part of the universe. Located in our galactic neighbor the Large Magellanic Cloud, N44 houses numerous massive bright stars, lengthy lanes of dark dust, and vast clouds of hydrogen gas that glows red. The red color of the N44 emission nebula comes from pervasive hydrogen atoms re-acquiring electrons that were knocked away by energetic light from massive stars. The central stars also appear to have somehow created the huge superbubble visible in the lower left. N44, pictured above, spans about 1,000 light years and lies about 170,000 light years distant.

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
 < February 2006  >
Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su


12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728




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.

Based on Astronomy Picture Of the Day

Publications with keywords: N44C - emission nebula - LMC
Publications with words: N44C - emission nebula - LMC
See also:
All publications on this topic >>