APOD: NGC 3324 in Carina (2019 Mar 16)

Comments and questions about the APOD on the main view screen.
User avatar
APOD Robot
Otto Posterman
Posts: 5601
Joined: Fri Dec 04, 2009 3:27 am

APOD: NGC 3324 in Carina (2019 Mar 16)

Post by APOD Robot » Sat Mar 16, 2019 4:10 am

Image NGC 3324 in Carina

Explanation: This bright cosmic cloud was sculpted by stellar winds and radiation from the hot young stars of open cluster NGC 3324. With dust clouds in silhouette against its glowing atomic gas, the pocket-shaped star-forming region actually spans about 35 light-years. It lies some 7,500 light-years away toward the nebula rich southern constellation Carina. A composite of narrowband image data, the telescopic view captures the characteristic emission from ionized sulfur, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms mapped to red, green, and blue hues in the popular Hubble Palette. For some, the celestial landscape of bright ridges of emission bordered by cool, obscuring dust along the right side create a recognizable face in profile. The region's popular name is the Gabriela Mistral Nebula for the Nobel Prize winning Chilean poet.

<< Previous APOD This Day in APOD Next APOD >>

User avatar
Ann
4725 Å
Posts: 13862
Joined: Sat May 29, 2010 5:33 am

Re: APOD: NGC 3324 in Carina (2019 Mar 16)

Post by Ann » Sat Mar 16, 2019 6:55 am

The NGC 3324 nebula.
NASA, ESA, and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)
I have to wonder what causes this remarkably long, sharp rim separating the dusty foreground from the hot, ionized near-vacuum "bubble" behind it. I guess we are seeing the outline of "Gabriella Mistral's nose" left of center in the Hubble picture at right.

The Hubble picture shows a few scattered stars which may be partly responsible for the ionization of the "bubble". You can see more of the stars inside the bubble in the APOD. The little cluster sure looks unimpressive, but the evacuated bubble and the dusty rim are impressive indeed.

Ann
Color Commentator

Boomer12k
:---[===] *
Posts: 2691
Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2007 12:07 am

Re: APOD: NGC 3324 in Carina (2019 Mar 16)

Post by Boomer12k » Sat Mar 16, 2019 7:50 am

Ann wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2019 6:55 am
The NGC 3324 nebula.
NASA, ESA, and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)
I have to wonder what causes this remarkably long, sharp rim separating the dusty foreground from the hot, ionized near-vacuum "bubble" behind it. I guess we are seeing the outline of "Gabriella Mistral's nose" left of center in the Hubble picture at right.

The Hubble picture shows a few scattered stars which may be partly responsible for the ionization of the "bubble". You can see more of the stars inside the bubble in the APOD. The little cluster sure looks unimpressive, but the evacuated bubble and the dusty rim are impressive indeed.

Ann
Near sunset about a week ago...the sun shown on the tops of clouds...looked a lot like that...so amazing.

:---[===] *

Boomer12k
:---[===] *
Posts: 2691
Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2007 12:07 am

Re: APOD: NGC 3324 in Carina (2019 Mar 16)

Post by Boomer12k » Sat Mar 16, 2019 7:54 am

It appears we are conditioned to look for shapes...

A remnant of having a mobile over our crib???

:---[===] *

heehaw

Re: APOD: NGC 3324 in Carina (2019 Mar 16)

Post by heehaw » Sat Mar 16, 2019 10:43 am

It looks like a doorway to heaven!

User avatar
orin stepanek
Plutopian
Posts: 8200
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2005 3:41 pm
Location: Nebraska

Re: APOD: NGC 3324 in Carina (2019 Mar 16)

Post by orin stepanek » Sat Mar 16, 2019 12:03 pm

I can still make out a profile shape of a face in the bubble; I imagine everybody can! 8-) I never had a mobile in my crib! I did have 7 brothers and sisters that used the crib before me though! :lol2:
Orin

Smile today; tomorrow's another day!

De58te
Commander
Posts: 584
Joined: Mon Sep 30, 2013 6:35 pm

Re: APOD: NGC 3324 in Carina (2019 Mar 16)

Post by De58te » Sat Mar 16, 2019 12:34 pm

I noticed the face profile even before reading the apod description. I noticed another image right about 12 o'clock of the blue cloud where it meets the gray. There is a head of a blackbird with a very blue eye. It has just caught a pink worm in its beak. It's size is much smaller than the face maybe 1/5th.

BDanielMayfield
Don't bring me down
Posts: 2524
Joined: Thu Aug 02, 2012 11:24 am
AKA: Bruce
Location: East Idaho

Re: APOD: NGC 3324 in Carina (2019 Mar 16)

Post by BDanielMayfield » Sat Mar 16, 2019 2:48 pm

Ann wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2019 6:55 am
The NGC 3324 nebula.
NASA, ESA, and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)
I have to wonder what causes this remarkably long, sharp rim separating the dusty foreground from the hot, ionized near-vacuum "bubble" behind it.
My guess Ann is that this edge is an ionization front. Like a weather front on Earth, sort of, but with hot wind on the blue side piled up and pushing against cooler dust on the red side. But like I said, just a guess.

Bruce
Just as zero is not equal to infinity, everything coming from nothing is illogical.

User avatar
orin stepanek
Plutopian
Posts: 8200
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2005 3:41 pm
Location: Nebraska

Re: APOD: NGC 3324 in Carina (2019 Mar 16)

Post by orin stepanek » Sat Mar 16, 2019 4:15 pm

I like to look at Nebulae like Earth clouds! often there are likeness to recognizable images of people dogs cat etc. kind of fun pastime! 8-) :mrgreen: :thumb_up:
Orin

Smile today; tomorrow's another day!

zendae1

Re: APOD: NGC 3324 in Carina (2019 Mar 16)

Post by zendae1 » Sat Mar 16, 2019 4:46 pm

There was no way I could see a face because what I saw >>> drew me in. Literally. I never saw anything on Star Trek that looked as real an entrance into something not of this Universe as that. I think it's the best optical illusion in space I have ever seen. Wallpaper now.

User avatar
MarkBour
Subtle Signal
Posts: 1377
Joined: Mon Aug 26, 2013 2:44 pm
Location: Illinois, USA

Re: APOD: NGC 3324 in Carina (2019 Mar 16)

Post by MarkBour » Sun Mar 17, 2019 12:32 am

Boomer12k wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2019 7:50 am
Ann wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2019 6:55 am
The NGC 3324 nebula.
NASA, ESA, and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)
I have to wonder what causes this remarkably long, sharp rim separating the dusty foreground from the hot, ionized near-vacuum "bubble" behind it. I guess we are seeing the outline of "Gabriella Mistral's nose" left of center in the Hubble picture at right.

The Hubble picture shows a few scattered stars which may be partly responsible for the ionization of the "bubble". You can see more of the stars inside the bubble in the APOD. The little cluster sure looks unimpressive, but the evacuated bubble and the dusty rim are impressive indeed.

Ann
Near sunset about a week ago...the sun shown on the tops of clouds...looked a lot like that...so amazing.

:---[===] *
I don't have any help to offer with what you're wondering, Ann. But your image also nicely highlights a related question I have. In many images like this one, the dust clouds have a feathery, bright, wispy edge region. As if the cloud of dust is giving off steam. These wispy edges certainly add to the beauty of the images, but what are they, actually?

Boomer, you noted a similar look for earthly cloud edges, lit by our Sun. But are these wispy edges in astronomical images of stellar dust clouds also backlit by stars behind the dust, or are they some other effect?
Mark Goldfain

User avatar
MarkBour
Subtle Signal
Posts: 1377
Joined: Mon Aug 26, 2013 2:44 pm
Location: Illinois, USA

Re: APOD: NGC 3324 in Carina (2019 Mar 16)

Post by MarkBour » Sun Mar 17, 2019 12:53 am

Wow! The dust along link to Hubblesite in the description leads to some great images and a video I really enjoyed.
Mark Goldfain