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Credit & Copyright: Stephen Kennedy
Explanation:
Drifting through the Orion Arm of the spiral Milky Way Galaxy,
this cosmic cloud
by chance echoes the outline of California on the west coast of the
United States.
Our own Sun also lies within the Milky Way's
Orion Arm,
only about 1,500 light-years from the
California
Nebula.
Also known as
NGC 1499,
the classic emission nebula is around 100 light-years long.
The California Nebula shines with the telltale reddish glow
characteristic of
hydrogen atoms recombining with long lost
electrons.
The electrons have been stripped away,
ionized by energetic starlight.
Most likely providing the
energetic starlight
that ionizes much of the nebular gas is the bright, hot star
Xi Persei
just to the right of the nebula.
A popular target for astrophotographers, this deep image
reveals the
glowing nebula, obscuring dust,
and stars
across a 3 degree wide field of view.
The California nebula lies toward the constellation
Perseus,
not far from the Pleiades.
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NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: California Nebula
Publications with words: California Nebula
See also: