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APOD
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.
A Witch by Starlight
Explanation: By starlight this eerie visage shines in the dark, a crooked profile evoking its popular name, the Witch Head Nebula . In fact, this entrancing telescopic portrait gives the impression the witch has fixed her gaze on Orion's bright supergiant star Rigel . Spanning over 50 light-years, the dusty cosmic cloud strongly reflects nearby Rigel's blue light, giving it the characteristic color of a reflection nebula . Cataloged as IC 2118, the Witch Head Nebula is about 1,000 light-years away. Of course , you might see a witch this scary tonight , but don't panic. Have a safe and Happy Halloween!
Take a survey on Aesthetics and Astronomy.
| Date | October 31, 2008 |
|---|---|
| Credit |
Credit & Copyright: Star Shadows Remote Observatory (Steve Mazlin, Jack Harvey, Rick Gilbert, Teri Smoot, Daniel Verschatse) |
| Authors & editors: | Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP) |
| A service of: |
ASD at NASA / GSFC, NASA Science Activation & Michigan Tech. U. |