APOD: In the Center of the Lagoon Nebula (2017 May 21)

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APOD: In the Center of the Lagoon Nebula (2017 May 21)

Post by APOD Robot » Sun May 21, 2017 4:05 am

Image In the Center of the Lagoon Nebula

Explanation: The center of the Lagoon Nebula is a whirlwind of spectacular star formation. Visible on the lower left, at least two long funnel-shaped clouds, each roughly half a light-year long, have been formed by extreme stellar winds and intense energetic starlight. The tremendously bright nearby star, Hershel 36, lights the area. Vast walls of dust hide and redden other hot young stars. As energy from these stars pours into the cool dust and gas, large temperature differences in adjoining regions can be created generating shearing winds which may cause the funnels. This picture, spanning about 5 light years, was taken in 1995 by the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope. The Lagoon Nebula, also known as M8, lies about 5000 light years distant toward the constellation of Sagittarius.

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Re: APOD: In the Center of the Lagoon Nebula (2017 May 21)

Post by Boomer12k » Sun May 21, 2017 5:20 am

I got out the scope, and it was SMOKIN'!!!! :D

"Smoke gets in your eyes...." - The Platters.

Really great pic from Hubble, as always.

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heehaw

Re: APOD: In the Center of the Lagoon Nebula (2017 May 21)

Post by heehaw » Sun May 21, 2017 9:51 am

Almost looks like it could be an Earth Science Picture of the Day!

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Re: APOD: In the Center of the Lagoon Nebula (2017 May 21)

Post by Ann » Sun May 21, 2017 10:32 am

A foggy lagoon at Messolonghi. Photo: Mary Sinanidis.
Lagoon Nebula?

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douglas

Re: APOD: In the Center of the Lagoon Nebula (2017 May 21)

Post by douglas » Sun May 21, 2017 2:34 pm

?Visible on the lower left, at least two long funnel-shaped clouds, each roughly half a light-year long, have been formed by extreme stellar winds and intense energetic starlight."

Dust tends to take on electrostatic charge and can be nucleating, as in Earth's storm clouds.

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Re: APOD: In the Center of the Lagoon Nebula (2017 May 21)

Post by geckzilla » Sun May 21, 2017 6:04 pm

douglas wrote:?Visible on the lower left, at least two long funnel-shaped clouds, each roughly half a light-year long, have been formed by extreme stellar winds and intense energetic starlight."

Dust tends to take on electrostatic charge and can be nucleating, as in Earth's storm clouds.
Do you suppose Earth could have storm clouds without wind?
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douglas

Re: APOD: In the Center of the Lagoon Nebula (2017 May 21)

Post by douglas » Sun May 21, 2017 7:23 pm

geckzilla wrote:
douglas wrote:?Visible on the lower left, at least two long funnel-shaped clouds, each roughly half a light-year long, have been formed by extreme stellar winds and intense energetic starlight."

Dust tends to take on electrostatic charge and can be nucleating, as in Earth's storm clouds.
Do you suppose Earth could have storm clouds without wind?
Good point, the mixing does help with charge build.

The infrared "string of pearls" comes to mind in starbirth nebulae.

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Re: APOD: In the Center of the Lagoon Nebula (2017 May 21)

Post by ta152h0 » Sun May 21, 2017 8:25 pm

Wolf Kotenberg

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Re: APOD: In the Center of the Lagoon Nebula (2017 May 21)

Post by Jeanne » Mon May 22, 2017 10:11 pm

Looks like heaven!

nileshp78

Re: APOD: In the Center of the Lagoon Nebula (2017 May 21)

Post by nileshp78 » Tue May 23, 2017 6:20 am

lower left corner of image appears to be pasted separately. one vertical & one horizontal line can be seen making lower left square. interestingly image just near lines appears to be mirrored across the line.
is this any issue with image processing & stitching

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Re: APOD: In the Center of the Lagoon Nebula (2017 May 21)

Post by ta152h0 » Tue May 23, 2017 6:20 pm

The Southern Cross looks also like heaven.......wait a minute, it is !
Wolf Kotenberg

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Re: APOD: In the Center of the Lagoon Nebula (2017 May 21)

Post by Chris Peterson » Tue May 23, 2017 6:57 pm

nileshp78 wrote:lower left corner of image appears to be pasted separately. one vertical & one horizontal line can be seen making lower left square. interestingly image just near lines appears to be mirrored across the line.
is this any issue with image processing & stitching
The image was made with the WFPC2 camera, which consists of a mosaic of 4 CCDs, one of which is exposed through different optics. So all images made with this camera which utilize all the detectors have stitch lines if you look closely enough (and also have that stair-step shape when viewed uncropped).
Chris

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