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.

                               2022 January 26
      [2]The featured image shows the bright star Antares and the other
    bright stars, dark dust, and colorful gas clouds that appear near it,
         directionally. Please see the explanation for more detailed
                                information.

                      Stars, Dust, and Gas Near Antares
           Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Mario Cogo ([4]Galax Lux)

   Explanation: Why is the sky near [5]Antares and [6]Rho Ophiuchi so
   dusty yet colorful? The colors result from a mixture of objects and
   processes. Fine dust -- illuminated from the front by starlight --
   produces blue [7]reflection nebulae. Gaseous clouds whose atoms are
   excited by [8]ultraviolet starlight produce reddish [9]emission
   nebulae. Backlit [10]dust clouds block starlight and so [11]appear
   dark. [12]Antares, a [13]red supergiant and one of the [14]brighter
   stars in the night sky, lights up the yellow-red clouds on the lower
   right of the [15]featured image. The [16]Rho Ophiuchi star system lies
   at the center of the blue [17]reflection nebula on the top left. The
   distant [18]globular cluster of stars [19]M4 is visible above and to
   the right of Antares. These star clouds are even more [20]colorful than
   [21]humans can see, emitting light across the [22]electromagnetic
   spectrum.

                       Tomorrow's picture: open space
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    Authors & editors: [34]Robert Nemiroff ([35]MTU) & [36]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([37]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Phillip Newman [38]Specific rights apply.
              [39]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                A service of: [40]ASD at [41]NASA / [42]GSFC
                           & [43]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2201/RhoOphAntares_Cogo_1024.jpg
   3. http://galaxlux.com/Author.htm
   4. http://galaxlux.com/
   5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antares
   6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rho_Ophiuchi_cloud_complex
   7. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/reflection_nebulae.html
   8. https://science.nasa.gov/ems/10_ultravioletwaves
   9. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap210214.html
  10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap030706.html
  11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap201122.html
  12. http://stars.astro.illinois.edu/sow/antares.html
  13. http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/astro/redsup.html
  14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_brightest_stars#Table
  15. http://galaxlux.com/The Magnificent Rho Ophiuchi Complex.htm
  16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rho_Ophiuchi
  17. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reflection_nebula
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/globular_clusters.html
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap000523.html
  20. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/color-your-universe-game/en/
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap190818.html
  22. https://science.nasa.gov/ems/01_intro
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220125.html
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  27. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  32. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=220126
  33. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220127.html
  34. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  35. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  36. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  37. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  38. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  39. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  40. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  41. https://www.nasa.gov/
  42. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  43. http://www.mtu.edu/