The Pelican Nebula is slowly being transformed. IC 5070, the official designation, is divided from the larger North America Nebula [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] by a molecular cloud [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] filled with dark dust [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…]. The Pelican [ http://www.usit.com…], however, receives much study because it is a particularly active mix of star formation [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] and evolving gas clouds. The above picture [ http://www.noao.edu…] was produced in two specific colors to better understand these interactions. Here, hot hydrogen [ http://chemlab.pc.m…] gas glows in red, while cooler Sulfur [ http://chemlab.pc.m…] glows blue-green. The light from young energetic stars is slowly transforming the cold gas to hot gas, with the advancing boundary [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] between the two known as an ionization [ http://csep10.phys.…] front. Particularly dense filaments of cold gas are seen to still remain. Millions of years from now this nebula might no longer be known as the Pelican [ http://www.phillyzo…], as the balance and placement of stars and gas [ http://adsabs.harva…] will leave something that appears completely different.
Explanation
The Pelican Nebula is slowly being transformed. IC 5070, the official designation, is divided from the larger North America Nebula [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] by a molecular cloud [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] filled with dark dust [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…]. The Pelican [ http://www.usit.com…], however, receives much study because it is a particularly active mix of star formation [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] and evolving gas clouds. The above picture [ http://www.noao.edu…] was produced in two specific colors to better understand these interactions. Here, hot hydrogen [ http://chemlab.pc.m…] gas glows in red, while cooler Sulfur [ http://chemlab.pc.m…] glows blue-green. The light from young energetic stars is slowly transforming the cold gas to hot gas, with the advancing boundary [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] between the two known as an ionization [ http://csep10.phys.…] front. Particularly dense filaments of cold gas are seen to still remain. Millions of years from now this nebula might no longer be known as the Pelican [ http://www.phillyzo…], as the balance and placement of stars and gas [ http://adsabs.harva…] will leave something that appears completely different.
