LDN 43: 蝙蝠星云

LDN 43: 蝙蝠星云

LDN 43: The Cosmic Bat Nebula
Credit & Copyright: Mark Hanson and Mike Selby; Text: Michelle Thaller (NASA‘s GSFC)

Explanation: What is the most spook-tacular nebula in the galaxy? One contender is LDN 43, which bears an astonishing resemblance to a vast cosmic bat flying amongst the stars on a dark Halloween night. Located about 1400 light years away in the constellation Ophiuchus, this molecular cloud is dense enough to block light not only from background stars, but from wisps of gas lit up by the nearby reflection nebula LBN 7. Far from being a harbinger of death, this 12-light year-long filament of gas and dust is actually a stellar nursery. Glowing with eerie light, the bat is lit up from inside by dense gaseous knots that have just formed young stars.

Your Sky Surprise: What picture did APOD feature on your birthday? (post 1995)
Tomorrow’s picture: amazing STEVE

LDN 43: 蝙蝠星云
影像提供与版权: Mark Hanson and Mike Selby; 撰稿: Michelle Thaller (NASA‘s GSFC)

说明: 银河系最惊悚的星云是那个？暗星云LDN 43会是个有力的候选者，因为它形似万圣节夜在恒星之间飞舞的庞大宇宙级蝙蝠。这团位在蛇夫座方向约1400光年远处的分子云，其密度高到能遮挡背景恒星的星光，以及邻近反射星云 LBN 7云气丝所反射的星光。不过，这道长达12光年的气体与尘埃丝，并非是死亡使者，反而是个创生的恒星形成区。这只蝙蝠之所以会散发怪异的辉光，其实受到内部刚有年轻恒星诞生的致密气体结之照耀。

你的天空惊喜: 你生日那天APOD展示了什么照片？（1995年后）
明日的图片: amazing STEVE