Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]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.

                               2020 January 7
    [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest
                        resolution version available.

                       IC 405: The Flaming Star Nebula
         Image Credit & [3]Copyright: [4]Eric Coles and [5]Mel Helm

   Explanation: Rippling dust and gas lanes give the Flaming Star Nebula
   its name. The orange and purple colors of the nebula are present in
   different regions and are created by different processes. The bright
   star [6]AE Aurigae, visible toward the image left, is so hot [7]it is
   blue, emitting light so energetic it knocks [8]electrons away from
   surrounding gas. When a [9]proton recaptures an electron, [10]red light
   is frequently emitted (depicted here in orange). The purple region's
   color is a mix of this red light and blue light emitted by AE
   [11]Aurigae but reflected to us by surrounding [12]dust. The two
   regions are referred to as [13]emission nebula and [14]reflection
   nebula, respectively. [15]Pictured here in the [16]Hubble color
   [17]palette, the Flaming Star Nebula, officially known as [18]IC 405,
   lies about 1500 [19]light years distant, spans about 5 light years, and
   is visible with a small telescope toward the constellation of the
   Charioteer ([20]Auriga).

                  Tomorrow's picture: galaxies in the river
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    Authors & editors: [32]Robert Nemiroff ([33]MTU) & [34]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([35]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Phillip Newman [36]Specific rights apply.
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                A service of: [38]ASD at [39]NASA / [40]GSFC
                           & [41]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2001/IC405hp_ColesHelm_3447.jpg
   3. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
   4. http://www.astrobin.com/users/coles44/
   5. http://www.pbase.com/melhelm
   6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AE_Aurigae
   7. http://stars.astro.illinois.edu/sow/aeaur.html
   8. http://www-istp.gsfc.nasa.gov/Education/welect.html
   9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proton
  10. http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/hyde.html
  11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auriga_(constellation)
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap030706.html
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/emission_nebulae.html
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/reflection_nebulae.html
  15. https://www.astrobin.com/8m1ecx/
  16. http://www.astronomymark.com/hubble_palette.htm
  17. http://www.mcwetboy.com/mcwetlog/2010/04/falsecolour_astrophotography_explained.php
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap190326.html
  19. https://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/cosmic_distance.html
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap100305.html
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap200106.html
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  25. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  30. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=200107
  31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap200108.html
  32. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  33. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  34. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  35. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  36. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  37. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  38. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  39. https://www.nasa.gov/
  40. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  41. http://www.mtu.edu/