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Credit & Copyright: Ken Crawford
(Rancho Del Sol Obs.)
Explanation:
These bright rims and flowing shapes look ghostly on a cosmic scale.
A telescopic view toward the constellation
Cassiopeia, the colorful
(zoomable) skyscape features
the swept-back, comet-shaped clouds IC 59 (left) and IC 63.
About 600 light-years distant,
the clouds
aren't actually ghosts, but they are slowly disappearing under
the influence of energetic
radiation from hot,luminous star gamma Cas.
Gamma Cas is physically
located only 3 to 4 light-years from the
nebulae, just off the top right edge of the frame.
Slightly closer to gamma Cas, IC 63 is dominated by
red H-alpha light emitted as
hydrogen atoms ionized by the star's ultraviolet radiation recombine
with electrons.
Farther from the star, IC 59 shows proportionally less H-alpha
emission but more of the characteristic blue tint of dust
reflected star light.
The field of view spans about 1 degree or 10 light-years at the
estimated distance of
gamma Cas and friends.
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Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: reflection nebula - emission nebula
Publications with words: reflection nebula - emission nebula
See also: