Space Horsehead Nebula

A nebula is a cloud of gas and dust in interstellar space.

Space horsehead nebula. A collection of the top 72 horsehead nebula wallpapers and backgrounds available for download for free. Every nebula contains hydrogen and helium plus a mixture of other gases. The hubble space telescope is a project of international cooperation between esa and nasa. Heated by a nearby star the gas and dust form the familiar shape of an equine head.

The horsehead nebula is a small dark nebula in the constellation orion. It is categorized as a dark nebula composed mainly of hydrogen gas and high levels of dust blocking out background light. One of the best known objects in the sky the horsehead nebula strikes a memorable figure illuminated from behind by a larger cloud of charged gas. The nebula is located just to the south of alnitak the easternmost star of orions belt and is part of the much larger orion molecular cloud complex.

The horsehead nebula is around 1500 light years from earth and is located in the constellation of orion. 1 some nebulae form in much more dramatic ways like the helix nebula the result of a once sun like star blowing off its outer layers or the crab nebula the remains of a massive star exploding as a supernova. The iconic horsehead nebula seen in a new infrared light marks the 23rd anniversary of the famous observatorys launch aboard the space shuttle discovery on april 24 1990. It is one of the most identifiable nebulae b.

The horsehead nebula is part of a dense cloud of gas in front of an active star forming nebula known as ic434. There are several types of nebulae plural of nebula. The horsehead nebula is approximately 460 parsecs or 1400 light years from earth. The horsehead also known as barnard 33 is a cold dark cloud of gas and dust silhouetted against the bright nebula ic 434.

The streaks in the nebulosity that extend above the horsehead are likely due to magnetic fields within the nebula. The bright area at the top left edge is a young star still embedded in its nursery of gas and dust. Due to its recognizable shape the horsehead nebula is one of the most famous celestial objects. It appears within the southern region of the dense dust cloud known as lynds 1630 along the edge of the much larger hii nebula region called ic 434.

Molecular clouds also known as hii regions because they are mainly hydrogen dark nebulae supernova remnants and planetary nebulae. Well known object is hard to find.