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.

                              2025 February 25
   [2]A starscape is shown with red filaments running diagonally from the
      lower left to the upper right. Many bright blue stars are visible
     across the center of the frame. Please see the explanation for more
                            detailed information.

                    M41: The Little Beehive Star Cluster
                   Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Xinran Li

   Explanation: Why are there so many bright blue stars? Stars are usually
   born in [4]clusters, and the brightest and most massive of these stars
   typically glow blue. Less-bright, non-blue stars like our [5]Sun surely
   also exist in this [6]M41 star cluster but are harder to see. A few
   bright orange-appearing [7]red giant stars are visible. The red-light
   filaments are emitted by diffuse hydrogen gas, a [8]color that was
   specifically filtered and enhanced in this image. In a hundred million
   years or so, the bright blue stars will have exploded in [9]supernovas
   and disappeared, while the slightly different trajectories of the
   fainter stars will cause [10]this picturesque open cluster to disperse.
   Similarly, billions of years ago, our own Sun was likely born into a
   [11]star cluster like M41, but it has long since [12]drifted apart from
   its [13]sister stars. The [14]featured image was captured over four
   hours with [15]Chilescope T2 in [16]Chile.

                     Tomorrow's picture: Einstein's ring
     __________________________________________________________________

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    Authors & editors: [28]Robert Nemiroff ([29]MTU) & [30]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([31]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [32]Specific rights apply.
            [33]NASA Web Privacy, [34]Accessibility, [35]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/2502/M41_Li_4000.jpg
   3. https://app.astrobin.com/u/Flying_Dutchman#gallery
   4. https://science.nasa.gov/universe/star-clusters-inside-the-universes-stellar-collections/
   5. https://science.nasa.gov/sun/
   6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messier_41
   7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_giant
   8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen-alpha
   9. https://youtu.be/wymMn-SmALY
  10. https://app.astrobin.com/u/Flying_Dutchman?i=wdu704#gallery
  11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_cluster
  12. https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2BC0K5D/two-cats-sitting-in-safe-social-distance-separated-by-an-open-drainage-channel-in-the-street-with-natural-stone-paving-in-a-greek-village-cyclades-2BC0K5D.jpg
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241209.html
  14. https://www.instagram.com/astrobin_com/p/DFVAtOqNm2Y/
  15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CHILESCOPE
  16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chile
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250224.html
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  21. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  23. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  26. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=250225
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250226.html
  28. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  29. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  30. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  31. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  33. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  34. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  35. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  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/