Subj : Daily APOD Report
To   : All
From : Alan Ianson
Date : Mon Nov 25 2024 00:41:50

                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                              2024 November 25
   The top half glows red, while the bottom half is filled with dark dust.
    Protruding into the red is a dark dust lane that resembles a horse's
       head. Please see the explanation for more detailed information.

                            The Horsehead Nebula
               Image Credit & Copyright: Alex Lin (Chilescope)

   Explanation: One of the most identifiable nebulas in the sky, the
   Horsehead Nebula in Orion, is part of a large, dark, molecular cloud.
   Also known as Barnard 33, the unusual shape was first discovered on a
   photographic plate in the late 1800s. The red glow originates from
   hydrogen gas predominantly behind the nebula, ionized by the nearby
   bright star Sigma Orionis. The darkness of the Horsehead is caused
   mostly by thick dust, although the lower part of the Horsehead's neck
   casts a shadow to the left. Streams of gas leaving the nebula are
   funneled by a strong magnetic field. Bright spots in the Horsehead
   Nebula's base are young stars just in the process of forming. Light
   takes about 1,500 years to reach us from the Horsehead Nebula. The
   featured image was taken from the Chilescope Observatory in the
   mountains of Chile.

                   Tomorrow's picture: meteor races comet
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.
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                             & Michigan Tech. U.

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