                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                              2019 September 25

                 The Pelican Nebula in Gas, Dust, and Stars
                   Image Credit & Copyright: Yannick Akar

   Explanation: The Pelican Nebula is slowly being transformed. IC 5070,
   the official designation, is divided from the larger North America
   Nebula by a molecular cloud filled with dark dust. The Pelican,
   however, receives much study because it is a particularly active mix of
   star formation and evolving gas clouds. The featured picture was
   produced in three specific colors -- light emitted by sulfur, hydrogen,
   and oxygen -- that can help us to better understand these interactions.
   The light from young energetic stars is slowly transforming the cold
   gas to hot gas, with the advancing boundary between the two, known as
   an ionization front, visible in bright orange on the right.
   Particularly dense tentacles of cold gas remain. Millions of years from
   now this nebula might no longer be known as the Pelican, as the balance
   and placement of stars and gas will surely leave something that appears
   completely different.

                       Tomorrow's picture: open space
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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