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 June 7
     [2]The featured image shows the nebulae NGC 6188 and NGC 6164. The
   former is a star forming region filled with glowing gas and laced with
   dust that resembles dragons. The smaller NGC 6164 is seen on the lower
     right is an emission nebula created by a single massive star in its
      center. Please see the explanation for more detailed information.

                          NGC 6188: Dragons of Ara
               Image Credit & [3]Copyright: [4]Shaun Robertson

   Explanation: Do dragons fight on the altar of the sky? Although it
   might appear that way, these dragons are [5]illusions made of thin gas
   and dust. The [6]emission nebula NGC 6188, home to the glowing clouds,
   is found about 4,000 [7]light years away near the edge of a large
   molecular cloud unseen at visible wavelengths, in the southern
   [8]constellation Ara (the Altar). Massive, young [9]stars of the
   embedded Ara [10]OB1 association were formed in that region only a few
   million years ago, [11]sculpting the dark shapes and powering the
   nebular glow with stellar winds and intense [12]ultraviolet radiation.
   The recent [13]star formation itself was likely triggered by winds and
   supernova explosions, from previous generations of massive [14]stars,
   that swept up and compressed the molecular gas. Joining NGC 6188 on
   [15]this cosmic canvas, visible toward the lower right, is rare
   emission nebula [16]NGC 6164, also created by one of the region's
   massive [17]O-type stars. Similar in appearance to many [18]planetary
   nebulae, NGC 6164's striking, symmetric gaseous shroud and faint halo
   surround its bright central star near the bottom edge. This
   [19]impressively wide [20]field of view spans over 2 degrees (four full
   Moons), corresponding to over 150 light years at the estimated distance
   [21]of NGC 6188.

                      Tomorrow's picture: ocean stripes
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    Authors & editors: [33]Robert Nemiroff ([34]MTU) & [35]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([36]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Phillip Newman [37]Specific rights apply.
              [38]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                A service of: [39]ASD at [40]NASA / [41]GSFC
                           & [42]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2206/Ngc6188_Robertson_2000.jpg
   3. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
   4. https://www.darkmoonastrophotography.com/about-1
   5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareidolia
   6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emission_nebula
   7. https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/Numbers/Math/Mathematical_Thinking/how_long_is_a_light_year.htm
   8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ara_(constellation)
   9. http://arxiv.org/abs/1105.3629
  10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stellar_association#Stellar_associations
  11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap080313.html
  12. https://science.nasa.gov/ems/10_ultravioletwaves
  13. https://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/focus-areas/how-do-stars-form-and-evolve
  14. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/search/stars/
  15. https://www.instagram.com/p/CdarSBLJVH3/
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap140522.html
  17. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O-type_star
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap110218.html
  19. https://cdn.petcarerx.com/blog/wp-content-uploads-2015-07-surprise-dog.jpg
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2206/Ngc6188_Robertson_2000.jpg
  21. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gn9mZpAcbF8
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220606.html
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  26. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  31. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=220607
  32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220608.html
  33. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  34. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  35. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  36. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  37. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  38. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  39. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  40. https://www.nasa.gov/
  41. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  42. http://www.mtu.edu/