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 October 26
    [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest
                        resolution version available.

                           Phantoms in Cassiopeia
       Image Credit & [3]Copyright: [4]Christophe Vergnes, Hervé Laur

   Explanation: These brightly outlined flowing shapes look ghostly on a
   cosmic scale. [5]A telescopic view toward the constellation
   [6]Cassiopeia, the colorful skyscape features the swept-back,
   comet-shaped clouds IC 59 (left) and IC 63. About 600 light-years
   distant, [7]the clouds aren't actually ghosts. They are slowly
   disappearing though, under the influence of [8]energetic radiation from
   hot, luminous star gamma Cas. [9]Gamma Cas is physically located only 3
   to 4 light-years from the nebulae and lies just above the right edge of
   the frame. Slightly closer to gamma Cas, IC 63 is dominated by [10]red
   H-alpha light emitted as hydrogen atoms ionized by the hot star's
   ultraviolet radiation recombine with electrons. Farther from the star,
   IC 59 shows less H-alpha emission but more of the characteristic blue
   tint of dust [11]reflected star light. The field of view spans over 1
   degree or 10 light-years at the estimated distance of [12]the
   interstellar apparitions.

                      Tomorrow's picture: bats in space
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    Authors & editors: [24]Robert Nemiroff ([25]MTU) & [26]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([27]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [28]Specific rights apply.
              [29]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                A service of: [30]ASD at [31]NASA / [32]GSFC,
                         [33]NASA Science Activation
                           & [34]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2410/IC63.jpg
   3. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
   4. https://www.astrobin.com/users/Chris.V/
   5. https://www.astrobin.com/18dwm3/
   6. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap160318.html
   7. http://iopscience.iop.org/1538-3881/129/2/954
   8. https://arxiv.org/abs/1809.01419
   9. https://www.aavso.org/vsots_gammacas
  10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap111013.html
  11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap091126.html
  12. https://arxiv.org/abs/1705.04313
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241025.html
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  17. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  22. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=241026
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241027.html
  24. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  25. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  26. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  27. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  29. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  30. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  31. https://www.nasa.gov/
  32. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  33. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  34. http://www.mtu.edu/