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Collection:
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NASA Great Images in Nasa Collection
Collection
NASA Great Images in Nasa Collection
Collection
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Title:
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Giant Twisters in the Lagoon Nebula
Title
Giant Twisters in the Lagoon Nebula
Title
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Full Description:
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This NASA Hubble Space Telescope (HST) image reveals a pair of one-half light-year long interstellar "twisters," eerie funnels and twisted-rope structures in the heart of the Lagoon Nebula (Messier 8) which lies 5,000 light-years away in the direction of the constellation Sagittarius. The central hot star, O Herschel 36 (lower right), is the primary source of the ionizing radiation for the brightest region in the nebula, called the Hourglass. Analogous to the spectacular phenomena of Earth tornadoes, the large difference in temperature between the hot surface and cold interior of the clouds, combined with the pressure of starlight, may produce strong horizontal shear to twist the clouds into their tornado-like appearance. Though the spiral shapes suggest the clouds are "twisting," future observations will be needed, perhaps with Hubble's next generation instruments, with the spectroscopic capabilities of the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) or the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS), to actually measure velocities. These color-coded images are the combination of individual exposures taken in July and September, 1995 with Hubble's Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2) through three narrow-band filters (red light ionized sulphur atoms, blue light, double ionized oxygen atoms, green light, ionized hydrogen).
Full_Description
This NASA Hubble Space Telescope (HST) image reveals a pair of one-half light-year long interstellar "twisters," eerie funnels and twisted-rope structures in the heart of the Lagoon Nebula (Messier 8) which lies 5,000 light-years away in the direction of the constellation Sagittarius. The central hot star, O Herschel 36 (lower right), is the primary source of the ionizing radiation for the brightest region in the nebula, called the Hourglass. Analogous to the spectacular phenomena of Earth tornadoes, the large difference in temperature between the hot surface and cold interior of the clouds, combined with the pressure of starlight, may produce strong horizontal shear to twist the clouds into their tornado-like appearance. Though the spiral shapes suggest the clouds are "twisting," future observations will be needed, perhaps with Hubble's next generation instruments, with the spectroscopic capabilities of the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) or the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS), to actually measure velocities. These color-coded images are the combination of individual exposures taken in July and September, 1995 with Hubble's Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2) through three narrow-band filters (red light ionized sulphur atoms, blue light, double ionized oxygen atoms, green light, ionized hydrogen).
Full Description
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Date:
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09/27/1995
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NASA Center:
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Hubble Space Telescope Center
NASA_Center
Hubble Space Telescope Center
NASA Center
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Subject Category:
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Deep Space Studies
Subject_Category
Deep Space Studies
Subject Category
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Subject Category:
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Hubble
Subject_Category
Hubble
Subject Category
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Keywords:
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Space
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Keywords:
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Field
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Keywords:
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Infrared
Keywords
Infrared
Keywords
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Keywords:
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Camera
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Keywords:
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and
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Keywords:
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2
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Keywords:
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Telescope
Keywords
Telescope
Keywords
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Keywords:
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Wide
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Keywords:
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Planetary
Keywords
Planetary
Keywords
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Keywords:
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Hubble
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Keywords:
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HST
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Keywords:
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Spectrometer
Keywords
Spectrometer
Keywords
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Keywords:
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Nebula
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Keywords:
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WFPC
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Keywords:
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Imaging
Keywords
Imaging
Keywords
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Keywords:
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Galaxy
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Keywords:
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Sagittarius
Keywords
Sagittarius
Keywords
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Keywords:
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Near
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Keywords:
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Multi-Object
Keywords
Multi-Object
Keywords
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Keywords:
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NICMOS
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Keywords:
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Spectrograph
Keywords
Spectrograph
Keywords
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Keywords:
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STIS
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Keywords:
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Lagoon
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Keywords:
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O
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Keywords:
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Herschel
Keywords
Herschel
Keywords
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Keywords:
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36
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Audience:
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General Public
Audience
General Public
Audience
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facet_what:
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Camera 2
facet_what
Camera 2
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Earth
facet_what
Earth
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Spectrometer
facet_what
Spectrometer
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Multi-Object Spectrometer
facet_what
Multi-Object Spectrometer
facet_what
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facet_what:
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NICMOS
facet_what
NICMOS
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Sagittarius
facet_what
Sagittarius
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Hubble Space Telescope (HST)
facet_what
Hubble Space Telescope (HST)
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS)
facet_what
Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS)
facet_what
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facet_when:
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September, 1995
facet_when
September, 1995
facet_when
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facet_when:
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09-27-1995
facet_when
09-27-1995
facet_when
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facet_when_year:
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1995
facet_when_year
1995
facet_when_year
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Image #:
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PR96-38B
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original_url:
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original_url
original_url
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UID:
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SPD-GRIN-GPN-2000-00 1371
UID
SPD-GRIN-GPN-2000-00 1371
UID
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Center:
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HSTI
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Center Number:
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PR96-38B
Center_Number
PR96-38B
Center Number
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GRIN DataBase Number:
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GPN-2000-001371
GRIN_DataBase_Number
GPN-2000-001371
GRIN DataBase Number
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Creator-Photographer:
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NASA, A.Caulet St-ECF, ESA,
Creator-Photographer
NASA, A.Caulet St-ECF, ESA,
Creator-Photographer
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Original Source:
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DIGITAL
Original_Source
DIGITAL
Original Source
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