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 October 26
   [2]The featured image shows the Cocoon Nebula on the right in white and
      red in a glowing red background with a trail of brown dust on the
      right. Please see the explanation for more detailed information.

                          Cocoon Nebula Wide Field
                  Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Andy Ermolli

   Explanation: When does a nebula look like a comet? [4]In this crowded
   starfield, covering over two degrees within the high flying
   constellation of the Swan ([5]Cygnus), the eye is drawn to the Cocoon
   Nebula. A compact star forming region, [6]the cosmic Cocoon punctuates
   a nebula bright in [7]emission and [8]reflection on the left, with a
   long trail of interstellar dust clouds to the right, making the entire
   complex appear a bit [9]like a comet. Cataloged as [10]IC 5146, the
   central bright head of the nebula spans about 10 [11]light years, while
   the dark [12]dusty tail spans nearly 100 light years. Both are located
   about 2,500 light years away. The bright star near the bright nebula's
   center, likely [13]only a few hundred thousand years old, supplies
   power to the nebular glow as it helps [14]clear out a cavity in the
   [15]molecular cloud's star forming dust and gas. The long dusty
   filaments of the tail, although dark in this [16]visible light image,
   are themselves hiding stars in the process of [17]formation, stars that
   [18]can be seen at [19]infrared wavelengths.

                       Tomorrow's picture: open space
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    Authors & editors: [31]Robert Nemiroff ([32]MTU) & [33]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([34]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Phillip Newman [35]Specific rights apply.
              [36]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                A service of: [37]ASD at [38]NASA / [39]GSFC,
                         [40]NASA Science Activation
                           & [41]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2210/CocoonWide_Ermolli_5937.jpg
   3. https://www.instagram.com/andyermolli/
   4. https://www.instagram.com/p/CjSK4HAuZEd/
   5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cygnus_%28constellation%29
   6. http://www.universetoday.com/15412/the-cosmic-cocoon-ic-5146-by-tom-v-davis/
   7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emission_nebula
   8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reflection_nebula
   9. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap211230.html
  10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IC_5146
  11. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/light-year/
  12. https://astronomy.swin.edu.au/cosmos/d/Dust+Grain
  13. https://cdn.petcarerx.com/blog/wp-content-uploads-2015-07-surprise-dog.jpg
  14. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?bibcode=2002AJ....123..304H
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap201122.html
  16. https://science.nasa.gov/ems/09_visiblelight
  17. https://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/focus-areas/how-do-stars-form-and-evolve
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap110819.html
  19. https://science.nasa.gov/ems/07_infraredwaves
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap221025.html
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  24. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  29. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=221026
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap221027.html
  31. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  32. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  33. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  34. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  35. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  36. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  37. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  38. https://www.nasa.gov/
  39. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  40. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  41. http://www.mtu.edu/