﻿ 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. 2024 February 5 [2]A star field strewn with filaments of dust and gas is shown: the center of the Carina Nebula. Shown in colors emitted by specific elements, the frame shows blue gas around the edges and orange and red colored gas in the center. Dark dust laces the busy frame. Please see the explanation for more detailed information. In the Core of the Carina Nebula Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Carlos Taylor Explanation: What's happening in the core of the Carina Nebula? Stars are forming, dying, and leaving an [4]impressive tapestry of dark dusty filaments. The entire [5]Carina Nebula, cataloged as NGC 3372, spans over 300 [6]light years and lies about 8,500 light-years away in the [7]constellation of Carina. The nebula is composed predominantly of [8]hydrogen gas, which [9]emits the pervasive red and orange glows seen mostly in the center of this [10]highly detailed [11]featured image. The blue glow around the edges is [12]created primarily by a trace amount of glowing [13]oxygen. [14]Young and massive stars located in the nebula's center [15]expel dust when they explode in supernovas. [16]Eta Carinae, the most energetic star in the nebula's center, was one of the brightest stars in the sky in the 1830s, but then [17]faded dramatically. Your Sky Surprise: [18]What picture did APOD feature on your birthday? (post 1995) Tomorrow's picture: hubble / webb __________________________________________________________________ [19]< | [20]Archive | [21]Submissions | [22]Index | [23]Search | [24]Calendar | [25]RSS | [26]Education | [27]About APOD | [28]Discuss | [29]> __________________________________________________________________ Authors & editors: [30]Robert Nemiroff ([31]MTU) & [32]Jerry Bonnell ([33]UMCP) NASA Official: Amber Straughn; [34]Specific rights apply. [35]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices A service of: [36]ASD at [37]NASA / [38]GSFC, [39]NASA Science Activation & [40]Michigan Tech. U. References 1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2402/Carina_Taylor_9714.jpg 3. https://www.instagram.com/capastrophotography/ 4. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap100322.html 5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carina_Nebula 6. https://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/cosmic_distance.html 7. http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/startales3.htm 8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen 9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H-alpha 10. https://www.astrobin.com/8ap2rm/ 11. https://www.instagram.com/p/C2e89rZJ2VX/ 12. https://remoteastrophotography.com/2023/01/foraxx-palette-script-dynamic-narrowband-combinations 13. https://periodic.lanl.gov/8.shtml 14. https://www.rd.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/GettyImages-85123446-scaled.jpg 15. https://herscheltelescope.org.uk/science/infrared/dust/ 16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eta_Carinae 17. https://www.aavso.org/vsots_etacar 18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html 19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240204.html 20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html 22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html 23. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search 24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html 25. https://apod.com/feed.rss 26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html 27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html 28. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=240205 29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240206.html 30. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html 31. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/ 32. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html 33. http://www.astro.umd.edu/ 34. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 35. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html 36. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/ 37. https://www.nasa.gov/ 38. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/ 39. https://science.nasa.gov/learners 40. http://www.mtu.edu/