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 April 19
    [2]The featured image shows a central region of IC 2944, the Running
   Chicken Nebula. Visible are stars and dense clouds that form stars one
       day. Please see the explanation for more detailed information.

              Stars and Globules in the Running Chicken Nebula
              Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Stefan Steve Bemmerl

   Explanation: The eggs from this gigantic chicken may form into stars.
   The featured emission nebula, shown in scientifically assigned colors,
   is cataloged as [4]IC 2944 but known as the [5]Running Chicken Nebula
   for the shape of its greater appearance. Seen toward the bottom of the
   image are small, dark [6]molecular clouds rich in obscuring [7]cosmic
   dust. Called [8]Thackeray's Globules for their [9]discoverer, these
   "eggs" are potential sites for the [10]gravitational condensation of
   new [11]stars, although their fates are uncertain as they are also
   being rapidly [12]eroded away by the intense radiation from nearby
   young stars. [13]Together with patchy glowing gas and complex regions
   of reflecting dust, these massive and energetic stars form the [14]open
   cluster Collinder 249. This gorgeous skyscape [15]spans about 60
   light-years at the nebula's estimated 6,500 [16]light-year distance.

                     Tomorrow's picture: shipping clouds
     __________________________________________________________________

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    Authors & editors: [28]Robert Nemiroff ([29]MTU) & [30]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([31]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Phillip Newman [32]Specific rights apply.
              [33]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                A service of: [34]ASD at [35]NASA / [36]GSFC
                           & [37]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2204/IC2944_Bemmerl_1948.jpg
   3. https://astrofotografie-steve.de/ueber-mich/
   4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IC_2944
   5. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap200420.html
   6. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap201122.html
   7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmic_dust
   8. https://esahubble.org/images/opo0201a/
   9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._David_Thackeray
  10. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/what-is-gravity/en/
  11. https://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/focus-areas/how-do-stars-form-and-evolve
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap061022.html
  13. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dxy8NIh5h-0
  14. https://asterisk.apod.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=18009
  15. https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/b/maine-coon-cat-jumping-over-couch-low-angle-side-view-young-blue-tabby-indoors-one-sofa-to-another-front-white-wall-187009847.jpg
  16. https://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/cosmic_distance.html
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220418.html
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  21. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  26. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=220419
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220420.html
  28. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  29. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  30. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  31. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  33. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  34. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  35. https://www.nasa.gov/
  36. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  37. http://www.mtu.edu/