Several unusual strands of darkness [ http://antwrp.gsfc. ] are prominent toward the constellation of Aquila [ http://chandra.harv ]. This particular dark nebula [ http://zebu.uoregon ] is known as the E Nebula, for its evocative shape, or B142 and B143, for its position(s) on a list of such nebula compiled by Barnard [ http://astro.uchica ]. The E Nebula [ http://www.eastbaya ] spans roughly the angle of a full Moon [ http://antwrp.gsfc. ] and lies about 2000 light years [ http://starchild.gs ] distant. The nebula [ http://www.abmedia. ] can be seen with binoculars and is particularly visible during the summer months in Earth's northern hemisphere. Other names for dark nebula [ http://antwrp.gsfc. ] include absorption nebula [ http://www.glyphweb ], as they efficiently absorb visible light emitted behind them, and molecular clouds [ http://etacha.as.ar ], as they frequently attain temperatures low enough so that several different types of stable molecules [ http://www.chem.ox. ] can exist. The low temperatures of these interstellar clouds [ http://antwrp.gsfc. ] facilitate the formation of dense knots [ http://antwrp.gsfc. ] of gas that may then collapse into bright stars.
Explanation
Several unusual strands of darkness [ http://antwrp.gsfc. ] are prominent toward the constellation of Aquila [ http://chandra.harv ]. This particular dark nebula [ http://zebu.uoregon ] is known as the E Nebula, for its evocative shape, or B142 and B143, for its position(s) on a list of such nebula compiled by Barnard [ http://astro.uchica ]. The E Nebula [ http://www.eastbaya ] spans roughly the angle of a full Moon [ http://antwrp.gsfc. ] and lies about 2000 light years [ http://starchild.gs ] distant. The nebula [ http://www.abmedia. ] can be seen with binoculars and is particularly visible during the summer months in Earth's northern hemisphere. Other names for dark nebula [ http://antwrp.gsfc. ] include absorption nebula [ http://www.glyphweb ], as they efficiently absorb visible light emitted behind them, and molecular clouds [ http://etacha.as.ar ], as they frequently attain temperatures low enough so that several different types of stable molecules [ http://www.chem.ox. ] can exist. The low temperatures of these interstellar clouds [ http://antwrp.gsfc. ] facilitate the formation of dense knots [ http://antwrp.gsfc. ] of gas that may then collapse into bright stars.