Daily Archives: May 13, 2014

CG4: A Ruptured Cometary Globule 

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Image Credit & Copyright: Jason Jennings (cosmicphotos)

Can a gas cloud grab a galaxy? It’s not even close. The “claw” of this odd looking “creature” in the above photo is a gas cloud known as a cometary globule. This globule, however, has ruptured. Cometary globules are typically characterized by dusty heads and elongated tails. These features cause cometary globules to have visual similarities to comets, but in reality they are very much different. Globules are frequently the birthplaces of stars, and many show very young stars in their heads. The reason for the rupture in the head of this object is not completely known. The galaxy to the left of the globule is huge, very far in the distance, and only placed near CG4 by chance superposition.

NASA APOD 13-May-14

Related posts:

  1. An Unusual Globule in IC 1396
  2. The Pleiades Deep and Dusty
  3. T Tauri and Hind’s Variable Nebula 
  4. M42: Inside the Orion Nebula

Prawn Nebula in Scorpius

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Prawn Nebula, IC 4628, is an emission nebula located around 6000 light-years from Earth in the constellation of Scorpius. The Prawn Nebula is around 250 light-years across, covering an area of sky equivalent to four times that of the full Moon. Despite this huge size it has been often overlooked by observers due to its faintness and because most of its light is emitted at wavelengths where the human eye is not sensitive. 

Imaging telescopes or lenses: Orion USA 102ED F7.0
Imaging cameras: Atik 314L+
Mounts: Skywatcher HEQ5 SynScan
Guiding cameras: Imaging Source DBK41AU02.AS
Dates: April 30, 2014
Frames: 24×300″
Integration: 2.0 hours

Author: Rodrigo Andolfato

AstroPhotography of the day by SPONLI 13 May 2014

Related posts:

  1. NGC 6188 in the constellation Ara
  2. Jellyfish Nebula: Galactic supernova remnant
  3. The Cat’s Paw Nebula in Scorpius
  4. NGC 6618: the Swan Nebula