﻿ Astronomy Picture of the Day [1]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. 2022 October 4 [2]The featured image shows the star forming region M16 known as the Eagle Nebula -- but with the stars digitally removed. Please see the explanation for more detailed information. Star-Forming Eagle Nebula without Stars Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Yannick Akar Explanation: The whole thing looks like an [4]eagle. A closer look at the [5]Eagle Nebula's center, however, shows the [6]bright region is actually a window into the center of a larger dark shell of [7]dust. Through this window, a brightly-lit [8]workshop appears where a whole [9]open cluster of stars is being formed. In this cavity [10]tall pillars and [11]round globules of dark dust and cold [12]molecular gas remain where stars are still forming. Paradoxically, it is perhaps easier to [13]appreciate this impressive factory of [14]star formation by seeing it without its stars -- which have been digitally removed in the featured image. The Eagle [15]emission nebula, tagged M16, lies about 6500 [16]light years away, spans about 20 light-years, and is visible with [17]binoculars toward the [18]constellation of the Serpent ([19]Serpens). [20]Creating this picture involved over 22 hours of imaging and combining colors emitted specifically by [21]hydrogen (red), and [22]oxygen (blue). Tomorrow's picture: space dart debris __________________________________________________________________ [23]< | [24]Archive | [25]Submissions | [26]Index | [27]Search | [28]Calendar | [29]RSS | [30]Education | [31]About APOD | [32]Discuss | [33]> __________________________________________________________________ Authors & editors: [34]Robert Nemiroff ([35]MTU) & [36]Jerry Bonnell ([37]UMCP) NASA Official: Phillip Newman [38]Specific rights apply. [39]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices A service of: [40]ASD at [41]NASA / [42]GSFC, [43]NASA Science Activation & [44]Michigan Tech. U. References 1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2210/M16Eagle_Akar_3365_starless.jpg 3. https://www.instagram.com/dotexplore/ 4. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/eagles-introduction/3089/ 5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eagle_Nebula 6. https://noirlab.edu/public/images/noao-04086/ 7. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap030706.html 8. https://youtu.be/lj3t_gjuXWk 9. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/open_clusters.html 10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap201206.html 11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap081228.html 12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap201122.html 13. https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51ZjBEW+qNL._AC_SY580_.jpg 14. https://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/focus-areas/how-do-stars-form-and-evolve 15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/emission_nebulae.html 16. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/light-year/en/ 17. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binoculars 18. https://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/constellations/index.html 19. http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/constellations/serpens.html 20. https://astrophotomannheim.de/images/m16-eagle-nebula/ 21. https://periodic.lanl.gov/1.shtml 22. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPK_rSf1WUc 23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap221003.html 24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html 26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html 27. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search 28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html 29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss 30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html 31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html 32. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=221004 33. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap221005.html 34. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html 35. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/ 36. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html 37. http://www.astro.umd.edu/ 38. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 39. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html 40. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/ 41. https://www.nasa.gov/ 42. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/ 43. https://science.nasa.gov/learners 44. http://www.mtu.edu/