                        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.

                              2022 December 29

                             Horsehead and Flame
                    Image Credit & Copyright: Jason Close

   Explanation: The Horsehead Nebula, famous celestial dark marking also
   known as Barnard 33, is notched against a background glow of emission
   nebulae in this sharp cosmic skyscape. About five light-years "tall"
   the Horsehead lies some 1,500 light-years away in the constellation of
   Orion. Within the region's fertile molecular cloud complex, the expanse
   of obscuring dust has a recognizable shape only by chance from our
   perspective in the Milky Way though. Orion's easternmost belt star,
   bright Alnitak, is to the left of center. Energetic ultraviolet light
   from Alnitak powers the glow of dusty NGC 2024, the Flame Nebula, just
   below it. Completing a study in cosmic contrasts, bluish reflection
   nebula NGC 2023 is below the Horsehead itself. This well-framed
   telescopic field spans about 3 full moons on the sky.

                     Tomorrow's picture: pixels in space
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