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The Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex
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The Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex
The Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex. The Rho Ophiuchi cloud is found rising above the plane of the Milky Way in the night sky, bordering the constellations Ophiuchus and Scorpius. Its one of the nearest star-forming regions to Earth, allowing us to resolve much more detail than in more distant similar regions, like the Orion nebula.
The amazing variety of colors seen in this image represents different wavelengths of infrared light. The bright white nebula in the center of the image is glowing due to heating from nearby stars, resulting in what is called an emission nebula. The same is true for most of the multi-hued gas prevalent throughout the entire image, including the bluish, bow-shaped feature near the bottom right. The bright red area in the bottom right is light from the star in the center, Sigma Scorpii, that is reflected off of the dust surrounding it, creating a reflection nebula. The much darker areas scattered throughout the image are pockets of cool, dense gas that block out the background light, resulting in dark nebulae.
The bright pink objects just left of center are young stellar objects. These baby stars are just now forming; many of them are still enveloped in their own tiny compact nebulae. In visible light, these young stellar objects are completely hidden in the dark nebula that surrounds them. Also visible are some of the oldest stars in our Milky Way galaxy, found in two separate (and much more distant) globular clusters. The first cluster, M80, is on the far right edge of the image towards the top. The second, NGC 6144, is found close to the bottom edge near the center. They both appear as small densely compacted groups of blue stars. Globular clusters such as these typically harbor some of the oldest stars known, some as old as 13 billion years, born soon after the universe formed
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Media ID 13062159
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Beauty Binary Stars Celestial Cluster Colorful Cosmic Dust Dark Nebula Deep Space Emission Nebula Globular Clusters Glow Infinity Interstellar Clouds Interstellar Medium Luminous Majestic Mystery Nebula Ophiuchus Reflection Nebula Rho Ophiuchi Rho Ophiuchus Square Image Star Clouds Star Clusters Star Formation Star Systems Starbirth Starfield Starforming Starlight Stellar Stellar Nursery Young Stars View From Space
EDITORS COMMENTS
This print showcases the awe-inspiring beauty of the Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex, a star-forming region located near our own Milky Way galaxy. The image reveals a stunning array of colors, each representing different wavelengths of infrared light. At the center, a bright white nebula glows intensely due to the heat emitted by nearby stars, forming what is known as an emission nebula. Similar multi-hued gas can be observed throughout the entire picture, including a striking bluish bow-shaped feature in the bottom right corner. In contrast to these vibrant regions, dark pockets of cool and dense gas are scattered across the image, creating dark nebulae that block out background light. Just left of center, one can spot young stellar objects depicted in bright pink hues. These baby stars are currently in their formation stage and remain hidden within their compact nebulae when viewed in visible light. Additionally, this extraordinary photograph also captures two separate globular clusters on opposite edges: M80 towards the top right and NGC 6144 close to the center bottom. These clusters exhibit small groups of densely packed blue stars and are home to some of the oldest stars ever discovered within our Milky Way galaxy. Overall, this remarkable print from Stocktrek Images offers us a glimpse into both cosmic birthplaces and ancient celestial wonders present within our vast universe.
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