Starship Asterisk*

NGC 1788 and the Witch's Whiskers

Explanation: This skyscape finds an esthetic balance of interstellar dust and gas residing in the suburbs of the nebula rich constellation of Orion. Reflecting the light of bright star Rigel, Beta Orionis, the jutting, bluish chin of the Witch Head Nebula is at the upper left. Whiskers tracing the red glow of hydrogen gas ionized by ultraviolet starlight seem to connect that infamous visage with smaller nebulae, like dusty reflection nebula NGC 1788 at the right. Strong winds from Orion's bright stars have also shaped NGC 1788, and likely triggered the formation of the young stars within. Appropriate for its location, NGC 1788 looks to some like a cosmic bat. The scene spans about 3 degrees on the sky or 6 full Moons.

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I don't see any witch whiskers. I guess she musta shaved.

In this photo, I see a bulldog, with drool rising up to the right. After all, not much gravity in space.

This image has some of magic.
I saw first the cloud at upper left.
The witch

Something that I would find extremely helpful would be for Apods to have coordinates included in the text - and some indication of which way is, say, North would also help me to see what I am looking at!

Obviously, I know where Rigel and Orion are, but I couldn't orientate this photograph. So I have done a little hunting, and here are the results, should they be of interest to anyone else.

Wikipedia gives the following information:

Rigel
RA. 05h 14m 32.27210s
Dec. −08° 12′ 05.8981"
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rigel

NGC 1788
RA. 05h 06m 54s
Dec. -03° 21′ 00"

NGC 1788 is located in a dark and often neglected corner of the Orion constellation.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/NGC_1788

IC 2118 (The Witch Head Nebula)
RA. 05h 02m 00.00s
Dec. -07° 54′ 00.0"

It lies in the Eridanus constellation, about 900 light-years from Earth.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/IC_2118

This October 2010 Apod just cuts off what I think is the Witch Head Nebula in the top right corner of the original image, just 'above' Rigel.
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap101023.html

But this, from the photographer's website, seems to show it clearly. (Note to administrators - I don't think the image is too big for posting.) Margarita

MargaritaMC...
Did you notice in your image of the region, to the left of the Witch's Head Nebula, a SECOND RED "REFLECTION", like a twin shadow of the Witch's Head????

COOOOOLLLL....


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Or it could be "THE BLOB!!!" Taking over the WORLD!!!!

Interesting in this kind of "chopped head photo" of the Witch's Head, is that it is not so blue, for being a reflection nebula.

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Boomer12k wrote:MargaritaMC...
Did you notice in your image of the region, to the left of the Witch's Head Nebula, a SECOND RED "REFLECTION", like a twin shadow of the Witch's Head????

COOOOOLLLL....


:---[===] *

NO! I hadn't noticed that! And I had to look really closely before I saw what you mean. Yes - it really does look like another witch, doesn't it?
Margarita

MargaritaMc wrote:

Boomer12k wrote:MargaritaMC...
Did you notice in your image of the region, to the left of the Witch's Head Nebula, a SECOND RED "REFLECTION", like a twin shadow of the Witch's Head????

COOOOOLLLL....


:---[===] *

NO! I hadn't noticed that! And I had to look really closely before I saw what you mean. Yes - it really does look like another witch, doesn't it?
Margarita

Indeed...I wonder if there is a cause for that, or if it is mere coincidence....

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Boomer12k wrote:Indeed...I wonder if there is a cause for that, or if it is mere coincidence....

:---[===] *

Human pattern recognition pattern recognized.

geckzilla wrote:

Boomer12k wrote:Indeed...I wonder if there is a cause for that, or if it is mere coincidence....

:---[===] *

Human pattern recognition pattern recognized.

Like ink blots.

MargaritaMc wrote: Like ink blots

I never understood those things. They seem rather stupid. Maybe it's because I'm Beyond it all.

Beyond wrote:

MargaritaMc wrote: Like ink blots

I never understood those things. They seem rather stupid. Maybe it's because I'm Beyond it all.

You're not alone! See http://www.skepdic.com/inkblot.html

Margarita

Say... how about throwing out the inky stuff and using Hubble pictures? Especially the nebulas. They may just open up people's minds enough to actually do them some good.

APOD's posted shot of NGC 1788 Looks to me like a Slobbering Dog! Anyone Else?