Astronomy Picture of the Day
    


Nebulae in the Northern Cross
<< Yesterday 19.11.2010 Tomorrow >>
Nebulae in the Northern Cross
Credit & Copyright: Rolf Geissinger
Explanation: Explore a beautiful and complex region of nebulae strewn along the plane of our Milky Way Galaxy in this widefield skyscape. The image emphasizes cosmic gas clouds in a 25 by 25 degree view centered on the Northern Cross, the famous asterism in the constellation Cygnus. Bright, hot, supergiant star Deneb at the top of the cross, Sadr near the center, and beautiful Albireo run diagonally through the scene. Popular telescopic tour destinations such as the North America and Pelican emission regions, the Butterfly Nebula (IC 1318), and the Crescent and Veil nebulae can be identified by placing your cursor over the image. Silhouetted by the glowing interstellar clouds and crowded star fields, the dark Northern Coal Sack also stands out, part of a series of obscuring dust clouds forming the Great Rift in the Milky Way. These Northern Cross nebulosities are all located about 2,000 light-years away. Along with the Sun, they lie within the Orion spiral arm of our galaxy.

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
 < November 2010  >
Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
2930




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: Cygnus - nebula - interstellar dust - gas - North America Nebula - Pelican Nebula - butterfly nebula - Crescent Nebula - Veil Nebula - Milky Way
Publications with words: Cygnus - nebula - interstellar dust - gas - North America Nebula - Pelican Nebula - butterfly nebula - Crescent Nebula - Veil Nebula - Milky Way
See also:
All publications on this topic >>