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Explanation: NGC 6334 is a cloud of gas and dust that appears to be forming massive stars. At 5500 light-years away, the Bear Claw Nebula, as it has also been dubbed, is more than three times as distant as the Orion Nebula, but still close enough for detailed study. The Bear Claw Nebula can be found towards the constellation of Scorpius. In visible light, ionized gas makes NGC 6334 look quite red. The above false-color photograph, however, was taken in infrared light. There, the glow of starlight absorbing dust is more apparent (depicted in blue). Current research indicates that the bright sources are very young and massive stars. These stars emit light so energetic and intense that it destroys fine grains of dust in their immediate vicinity, creating an abundance of ionized gas (depicted in red).
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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: nebula - emission - absorption nebula
Publications with words: nebula - emission - absorption nebula
See also:
- APOD: 2025 July 5 Á Ou4: The Giant Squid Nebula
- APOD: 2025 March 18 Á LDN 1235: The Shark Nebula
- APOD: 2024 June 11 Á Colorful Stars and Clouds near Rho Ophiuchi
- APOD: 2024 January 23 Á Deep Nebulas: From Seagull to California
- APOD: 2023 June 14 Á The Shark Nebula
- NGC 7380: The Wizard Nebula
- A Galaxy Beyond Stars, Gas, Dust