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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.
NGC 6357: The Lobster Nebula
Explanation: Why is the Lobster Nebula forming some of the most massive stars known? No one is yet sure . Cataloged as NGC 6357, the Lobster Nebula houses the open star cluster Pismis 24 near its center -- a home to unusually bright and massive stars . The overall blue glow near the inner star forming region results from the emission of ionized hydrogen gas. The surrounding nebula, featured here , holds a complex tapestry of gas, dark dust , stars still forming, and newly born stars . The intricate patterns are caused by complex interactions between interstellar winds , radiation pressures , magnetic fields , and gravity . NGC 6357 spans about 400 light years and lies about 8,000 light years away toward the constellation of the Scorpion .
| Date | October 28, 2020 |
|---|---|
| Credit | Image Credit & Copyright: Steven Mohr |
| Authors & editors: | Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP) |
| A service of: |
ASD at NASA / GSFC, NASA Science Activation & Michigan Tech. U. |