Media Information
 
 
 
Collection:
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day Collection
Title:
Reflection Nebula M78
Explanation:
An eerie blue glow and ominous columns of dark dust highlight M78, a bright reflection nebula [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] in the constellation of Orion [ http://www.astro.wi…]. The dust [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] not only absorbs light, but also reflects the light of several bright blue stars that formed recently [ http://adsabs.harva…] in the nebula. The same type of scattering that colors the daytime sky [ http://math.ucr.edu…] further enhances the blue color. M78 [ http://www.seds.org…] is about five light-years [ http://www.glyphweb…] across and visible through a small telescope. M78 appears above [ http://www.sdss.org…] only as it was 1600 years ago, however, because that is how long it takes light to go from there [ http://adsbit.harva…] to here. M78 [ http://www.airdigit…] belongs to the larger Orion Molecular Cloud Complex [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] that contains the Great Nebula in Orion [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] and the Horsehead Nebula [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…].
Credit and Copyright:
Sloan Digital Sky Survey Collaboration [ http://www.sdss.org…]
keyword:
reflection nebula
keyword:
M78
facet_where:
Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
facet_what:
Orion
facet_what:
nebula
facet_what:
reflection nebula
original url:
http://antwrp.gsfc.…
UID:
SPD-APOD-ap000424

Reflection Nebula M78
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