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.

                                2021 July 23
    [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest
                        resolution version available.

                          Elephant, Bat, and Squid
                Image Credit & [3]Copyright: [4]Patrick Hsieh

   Explanation: Sprawling emission nebulae IC 1396 and Sh2-129 mix glowing
   interstellar gas and dark dust clouds in [5]this 10 degree wide field
   of view toward the northern constellation [6]Cepheus the King.
   Energized by its bluish central star [7]IC 1396 (left) is hundreds of
   light-years across and some 3,000 light-years distant. The nebula's
   intriguing dark shapes include a winding dark cloud popularly known as
   the [8]Elephant's Trunk below and right of center. Tens of light-years
   long, it holds the raw raw material for star formation and is known to
   hide [9]protostars within. Located a similar distance from planet
   Earth, the bright knots and swept back ridges of emission of Sh2-129 on
   the right suggest its popular name, the [10]Flying Bat Nebula. Within
   the Flying Bat, the most recently recognized addition to this royal
   cosmic zoo is the faint bluish emission from Ou4, the [11]Giant Squid
   nebula.

                  Tomorrow's picture: at the edge of space
     __________________________________________________________________

      [12]< | [13]Archive | [14]Submissions | [15]Index | [16]Search |
   [17]Calendar | [18]RSS | [19]Education | [20]About APOD | [21]Discuss |
                                    [22]>
     __________________________________________________________________

    Authors & editors: [23]Robert Nemiroff ([24]MTU) & [25]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([26]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Phillip Newman [27]Specific rights apply.
              [28]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                A service of: [29]ASD at [30]NASA / [31]GSFC
                           & [32]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2107/IC1396SH2-129Ou4_50Hsieh.jpg
   3. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
   4. https://www.astrobin.com/users/FlankerOneTwo/
   5. https://www.astrobin.com/8y9fnq/
   6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cepheus_(constellation)
   7. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120805.html
   8. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap190816.html
   9. https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/images/multi-wavelength-views-of-protostars-in-ic-1396
  10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap201007.html
  11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap140718.html
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap210722.html
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  16. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  21. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=210723
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap210724.html
  23. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  24. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  25. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  26. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  28. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  29. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  30. https://www.nasa.gov/
  31. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  32. http://www.mtu.edu/