Tuesday, June 11, 2024

APOD - Colorful Stars and Clouds near Rho Ophiuchi

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 June 11
Colorful nebula and stars fill the wide images. The yellow star  Antares is visible on the left and blue reflection nebula surround  a central nebula and the nebula on the right surrounding the Rho  Ophiuchi star system.   Please see the explanation for more detailed information.

Colorful Stars and Clouds near Rho Ophiuchi
Image Credit & Copyright: Craig Stocks

Explanation: Why is the sky near Antares and Rho Ophiuchi so colorful, yet dusty? The colors result from a mixture of objects and processes. Fine dust -- illuminated by starlight -- produces blue reflection nebulae. Gaseous clouds whose atoms are excited by ultraviolet starlight produce reddish emission nebulae. Backlit dust clouds block starlight and so appear dark. Antares, a red supergiant and one of the brighter stars in the night sky, lights up the yellow-red clouds on the upper right of the featured image. The Rho Ophiuchi star system lies at the center of the blue reflection nebula on the left, while a different reflection nebula, IC 4605, lies just below and right of the image center. These star clouds are even more colorful than humans can see, emitting light across the electromagnetic spectrum.

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