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.

                                 2026 July 7
     [2]The featured image shows the nebulae NGC 6188 and NGC 6164. The
      former is a star forming region near the image center filled with
   glowing gas and laced with dust that resembles dragons. The smaller NGC
     6164 is seen on the lower right is an emission nebula created by a
   single massive star in its center. Please see the explanation for more
                            detailed information.

                          NGC 6188: Dragons of Ara
                  Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Rod Prazeres

   Explanation: Where can you find dragons fighting in the night sky? In
   the southern [4]constellation of the Altar: [5]Ara. The dragons are, of
   course, actually made of [6]suggestively shaped gas and dust. The
   celestial home of the [7]mythological battling beasts is cataloged as
   [8]NGC 6188 and located about 4,000 [9]light years away near the edge
   of a [10]large molecular cloud. Massive, young stars of the embedded
   Ara [11]OB1 association were formed there only a few million years ago,
   [12]sculpting the dark shapes and powering the nebular glow with
   [13]stellar winds and intense [14]ultraviolet radiation. Joining
   [15]NGC 6188 on this cosmic canvas, visible toward the lower right, is
   unusual emission nebula [16]NGC 6164, also created by one of the
   region's [17]massive stars. This [18]impressively wide field
   [19]picture, captured from [20]Queensland, [21]Australia, spans over 2
   degrees (four [22]full Moons).

                       Tomorrow's picture: open space
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    Authors & editors: [34]Robert Nemiroff ([35]MTU) & [36]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([37]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [38]Specific rights apply.
            [39]NASA Web Privacy, [40]Accessibility, [41]Notices;
                A service of: [42]ASD at [43]NASA / [44]GSFC,
                         [45]NASA Science Activation
                           & [46]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2607/AraDragons_Prazeres_7200.jpg
   3. https://www.instagram.com/deepskyjourney/
   4. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/constellations/en/
   5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ara_(constellation)
   6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareidolia
   7. https://windhorsetour.com/blog/the-meaning-of-chinese-dragons
   8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NGC_6188
   9. https://science.nasa.gov/exoplanets/what-is-a-light-year/
  10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCW_108
  11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stellar_association#Stellar_associations
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap080313.html
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250811.html
  14. https://science.nasa.gov/ems/10_ultravioletwaves/
  15. https://youtu.be/Gn9mZpAcbF8
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250424.html
  17. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OB_star
  18. https://cdn.petcarerx.com/blog/wp-content-uploads-2015-07-surprise-dog.jpg
  19. https://www.instagram.com/p/DaCrBNQGYF4/
  20. https://youtu.be/j0WIbARYaGA
  21. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240915.html
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260706.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.com/feed.rss
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  32. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=260707
  33. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260708.html
  34. https://www.mtu.edu/physics/department/faculty/nemiroff/
  35. https://www.mtu.edu/physics/
  36. https://inspirehep.net/authors/1073087
  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://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  41. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  42. https://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/astrophysics/
  43. https://www.nasa.gov/
  44. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  45. https://science.nasa.gov/learn/about-science-activation/
  46. http://www.mtu.edu/